TURA: In view of the alleged failure of the District Administration to provide security to petrol pumps in and around Tura, the Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union (APMU) has decided to restrict the working hours of the pumps to only four hours a day.
In an emergency meeting convened in this regard, petrol pump owners in and around Tura decided to abide by the decision of the Union. The pump owners informed that all petrol pumps in and around Tura (including Rongram, Chasingre Paharinagar and Bokmagre) would now remain open only from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm daily from August 29.
“We came to this decision in view of requests made by petrol pump workers from Garo Hills. The restriction will continue until armed security men are deployed by the District Administration at all pumps in Garo Hills,” the pump owners said.
In a meeting held on August 19, the district administration had assured security to the petrol pump owners and workers.
The demand for security came following the recent broad daylight shooting of a petrol pump attendant on the outskirts of Tura. Two motorcycle borne miscreants had shot dead Bittu Patel, an attendant of the Rachel Petrol Pump at Bokmagre, triggering the immediate closure of all petrol pumps in and around Tura.
Following the incident the Union had immediately stopped the supply of petrol to Garo Hills and even threatened to cut off supply to the whole of Meghalaya.