Transportation cost increase fuel price in districts in Southern Odisha
JEYPORE: Petrol and diesel are costlier for people of four Southern Odisha districts than their counterparts in coastal parts of the State. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) supplies fuel in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts. According to sources, diesel and petrol prices at different fuel stations in the four districts are costlier by `3.50 than other parts of the State as the oil company charges extra for transportation.
The IOCL has a fuel terminal in Visakhapatnam. Earlier, the IOCL dealers were procuring oil from Visakhapatnam oil depot, which is 200 km away from Koraput, and transportation cost was less. But the supply was stopped last year. Though there was an oil depot at Jeypore, which was catering to the needs of local dealers and consumers, it was also closed down.
The IOCL dealers of South Odisha are now procuring fuel from Jatni oil depot, 600 km away. As the transportation cost for procuring oil from Jatni is high, it reflects on the price of petrol and diesel.
“Earlier, the consumer had to bear the transportation cost of `1 per litre of petrol or diesel for just 200 km but now they are paying `3.50 extra for procurement of fuel from the depot that is 600 km away,” said Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
According to reports, people in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Nabarangpur purchase 1.20 lakh litres of petrol and 2 lakh litres of diesel daily from 54 IOCL fuel filling stations in the districts. Recently, the petroleum product dealers of IOCL met the General Manager of the company demanding procurement of fuel from Visakhapatnam instead of Jatni to lower the price. PRI members have also demanded that the IOCL authorities should cut down petroleum price by shifting the fuel terminal from Jatni to Visakhapatnam.