BHUBANESWAR: Petrol pumps will remain open across Odisha during 'Janata Curfew' but will operate with limited staff.
"In order to provide essential services, petrol pumps across the state will remain open during 'Janata Curfew'. However, we expect vehicles used for emergency services will only visit the petrol pumps on Sunday," said Sanjay Lath, General Secretary of Utkal Petroleum Dealers' Association.
The staff in petrol pumps along highways as well as cities will be limited to three, while others have been asked to stay at home, he added.
On an average, 12 to 14 staff are engaged at a petrol pump in a city and they work in two shifts, while eight to 10 are engaged at a petrol pump in highways and they work in three shifts. All India Petroleum Dealers Association has also issued an advisory to contain the spread of the virus. After the outbreak of the virus there has been a drop in the sale of petrol and diesel in Odisha.
"The average sale of petrol and diesel per day in the state is 2,860 kilolitre and 8,970 kilolitre respectively. But after the outbreak of COVID-19, the sale has dipped by 25 per cent in the State," said Lath. There are about 1,650 petrol pumps in the state.