Petroleum dealers are in a fix. Following the road-safety week, the petroleum dealers have been directed by the traffic police to refrain from supplying petrol to the 2-wheeler riders who do not wear helmets. This directive has given rise to a tiff between them.

As per the petroleum dealers, they cannot refuse to give petrol to the consumers not wearing helmets as they have not been directed by their respective companies to do so and they do not have the rights to deal with this issue on their own. They cannot even pressurise the public on this issue. They stated that if they refuse petrol to the consumers, their companies can take action against them. They feel that the police must take action in their own way instead of asking the petroleum dealers to be in unison with them.

Since 32nd road-safety week is going on, the importance of helmet for 2-wheeler riders is being emphasised because most of the people have died in the past in road accidents due to head injuries. There petroleum dealers are not in agreement as refusing to provide fuel results in losses and when the targets are not achieved the companies take action against them.

A meeting is likely to be held once again with the petroleum dealers in this direction as the only way to force the public into wearing helmets is by refusing fuel supplies. Petrol dealers are bound to provide petrol whereas the police is also bound by safety norms. The tiff is yet to be resolved.