Pump owners' meet held

The district administration convened a meeting of petrol pump owners here and directed them to strictly comply with the order of not selling petrol to bikers without helmets.

The administration has come under severe criticism for violation of its February 7 order that made helmets mandatory for motorcyclists. The order also asked the pump owners not sell petrol to any one without helmet.

Subarnapur Collector Dasarathi Satpathy expressed concern over non-cooperation by petrol pump owners. “It is a Supreme Court order that we are implementing to protect the life and property of people. Unfortunately, the pump owners are not cooperating and openly violating the order. This defeats the very purpose of the helmet rule,” he added.

Satpathy directed the pump owners to cooperate and warned them that action would be taken against those who violate the order.

Due to the effort of the transport officials and police, the people have become aware and many are wearing helmets. But the pump owners are playing the spoilsport. This will not be tolerated anymore. Those who are found selling petrol to people without helmets will face action, warned Satpathy.

Some pump owners said scuffles had ensued when they had denied petrol to customers for not wearing helmets. Subarnapur SP Prafulla Kumar Patra said the pump owners shouldn’t worry about it. All the 23 pumps will have the phone numbers of the concern police Inspectors, the SP and the Collector. They can make a call to report any such incident, he added.