NONGPOH: Peeved by the decision of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to dismantle the existing petroleum storage depot located near ICAR in Umiam and convert it to a retail petrol pump, the KSU North Khasi Hills District has urged the State Government to cancel all papers issued to IOCL for opening of petrol pump and also to restore the petroleum depot and set up a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant at the spot.
In a memorandum submitted to the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner the KSU said that the storage depot was built on a plot of land handed to the Assam Oil Division of the IOCL during 1992-1993. The agreement was signed between Meghalaya Government, the locality, land owner and Assam Oil strictly for the purpose of opening a storage depot and the same was cleared by the Revenue Department, Government of Meghalaya.
The memorandum aid that the main objective of handing over this land to the public sector undertaking (PSU) was to ensure proper storage of petroleum products in Meghalaya so as to ensure uninterrupted supply in case of any disruption due to maintenance work, strikes by the Assam based Petroleum Mazdoor Union, bandhs etc.
The KSU said that this Petroleum, Oil & Lubricants (POL) storage depot was commissioned in 1995 and had been running smoothly till 2010.
“However, due to reasons unknown, the depot suddenly stopped functioning since May 2010,” the KSU added.
The memorandum said that before decommissioning the depot, the IOCL assured the government of absorbing 2% of Central Sales Tax (CST) element not letting it to pass on to the consumers. However, post 2012, the tax is being added to the price per litre.
Asserting their demands for retention and reopening of the oil depot, the KSU leaders said the state is dependent on road transport and hence requires its own Petroleum Storage Depot.
They also maintained that the state is reeling under LPG cylinder shortage and an LPG bottling plant can be set up on the land.
