Srinagar, May 28 (KNO): The Kerosene oil distributors and employees of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD) department of Kashmir Thursday said that the supply meant for Kashmir districts is being illegally sold at various points on the highways illegally, leaving genuine consumer suffer.
Distributors and employees of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD department in nexus with some people have left hundreds of people suffer for want of kerosene as they have erected their stalls along the national highway across the Kashmir and selling it at exorbitant rates for their personal gains.
Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Agency (KNO), the distributors and employees alleged that things start once the district-wise allotment is made. “When oil tankers are directed to reach their respective districts with the oil supply, almost half of the supply trucks are sold mid-way at various points,” a distributor told KNO “This is causing huge inconvenience to the genuine license holding distributors as they don’t get the allotted share.”
The distributors alleged that amid the COVID pandemic that has engulfed the whole globe including the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the department in nexus with some “mafia” has resorted to illegal sale of Kerosene.
“Kerosene is sole illegal at various points that include Sopore, Sangam, HMT Srinagar, Srinagar by-pass, Lethpora, Kakapora, Pampore, Kangan, Fruit Mandi Ganderbal and many other points across Kashmir,” a group of Kerosene distributors alleged.
An employee of the CA&PD department said that said the government dispatches kerosene for the people who desperately need it be it in rural or urban areas but the illegal practice of the department in connivance of some “mafia” is taking a toll on a common man.
“Thousands of liters of Kerosene is sold illegally in black market and there is a deep nexus behind,” he said, wishing not to be named. Director CA&PD Bashir Ahmed told KNO that distributors should bring the matter to his notice through common people.
“If a tanker is sold illegally, distributor should note the number and accordingly inform the department,” he said. “There should be a specific information about where tankers are sold illegally. If distributors shy in sharing the information with us, let them share it with the police.”—(KNO)