Petrol hoarders of outside state to be imprisoned
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 13 April 2012 17:40 IST
Goa government has warned of legal action for buying petrol in Goa and transporting or storing it outside Goa, especially in the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The issue has become crucial after chief minister Manohar Parrikar announced reduction of VAT levied on sale of petrol to mere 0.1 per cent, thereby making it cheaper by almost Rs 11.
This has come into effect from 2 April.
Compared to Goa’s petrol price of Rs 55, it costs Rs 70.65 in Maharashtra and Rs 73.50 in Karnataka.
Vehicles from both the states are already lining up at the petrol pumps on state borders in Goa while tourists are topping up their tanks before leaving the state.
Though it is difficult to take any action against these acts, the state government has made unauthorized transportation or storing of petrol in cans or barrels outside the state under section 23 of the Petroleum Act, 1934.
The penalty for violating the provision is one-month simple imprisonment and/or fine up to Rs 1000, states the state government communiqué.
Cameras at every petrol station and borders with image detection to capture number plate and store on a centralized database could be used. Or if not automated, offer jobs where one could manually do data entry of number plates via the camera LIVE at a centralized location, salaries paid from the 0.1 % VAT incase one wonders :). Obviously the same car filling 25 liters of petrol everyday for months on can be filtered by the computer and delt with either in Goa or at the borders. Its quick, relatively cheap and an efficient system. Petrol stations can efford to buy cctv linked to the government by law. The VAT collected from sale can be utilized for border cctv and salaries. Tell me the plan is bad :))).
Same car need not come everyday to fill petrol.Just that one has to have many cars alternating. A better alternative is to give discount on petrol only to Goa registration cars. This will take care of 99% of the cases.