The Utkal Bharat on Thursday alleged that subsidised kerosene is being rampantly black-marketed in the State, for which both the ruling BJD and opposition BJP are responsible.
“Seventy per cent of the subsidised kerosene is being sold in the black market. Bus and trawler owners are purchasing kerosene in order to mix them in petrol and diesel. Both the BJD and the BJP are getting profit from the black marketers. They are blaming each other for short supple of kerosene only to show that they are concerned for poor people,” alleged party president Kharabela Swain.
The party held awareness programmes and inform people about misuse of kerosene at different places like Market Building, lingaranj Temple, Indradhanu Market and VSS Nagar area.
“Use of kerosene in households has almost been stopped in view of availability of electricity. It is being used in the remotest areas which have no electricity connection. Subsidy kerosene should be supplied to these areas only and it should be sold at actual market prices in rest of the places,” argued Swain.
Among others, party vice-president Rajendra Dalbehera, secretary Kamiluddin Ahmed, woman wing president Bajajabasini Tripathi, Puri district president Gangadhar Mansingh, Bhubaneswara president Nabakishore Pradhan, senior leader Nirmal Behera, Vidyarthi Utkal Bharati president Pratyush Nayak and Mahanga block president Krupasindhu Singh kept views.