PUNE: To deter people from venturing out, the administration on Tuesday took the stringent step of stopping petrol and diesel saleat the pumps in the Pune city.
District Collector Naval Kishore Ram issued a notification to this effect, addressed to the District Petrol/Diesel Pump Association, exercising powers under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The order did not specify how long the ban will be in force.
Only government officials who are on essential and emergency duties as well as private individuals working towards "control and eradication of COVID-19 and working in the field of essential and emergency services" and those who need to travel to get medical treatment are allowed to buy fuel, it said.
The notification said that such persons should fill up the fuel tank whenever they visit a petrol pump. "Despite several appeals and the imposition of restrictions on vehicular movement, people are coming out on the streets, so this step was taken," an official said.
All India Petrol Dealers Association spokesperson Ali Daruwala said that petrol or diesel will be sold only after verification as to whether the buyer falls in the exempted category. Pune has 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus patients so far.