Hike in fuel prices results in discontent among people

Hike in fuel prices results in discontent among people

A Correspondent

Dibrugarh, May 22: The recent rise in fuel prices has sparked sharp reactions from people. As the price per litre of petrol crossed the mark of Rs 79 here, people of all age groups were seen grumbling and holding the government guilty. The Sentinel reached out to a few to know their response to the latest hike in the oil prices. Prayag Kashyap Baruah, an employee of Assam Medical College and Hospital, said, “I fail to understand the reason behind the continuous rise in the price, especially when the global oil prices are steady. Fuel isn’t a luxury product, but something which is used by all sections of the society. As such, it is the common man who is badly hit.”

Taking a level-headed approach, Arindam Bhattacharya, an officer at State Bank of India, said, “I understand that the high fuel prices are partially driven by the government’s strategy to discourage citizens from using their private vehicles in order to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. But, this will only work when the government provides a well-connected network of public transport in every nook and cranny as an alternative to private vehicles. Unfortunately, such a network is clearly missing right now. Therefore, the government shouldn’t leave its feet hanging across both the worlds, but placed on neither.”

Highlighting the plight of the common man, Pintu Dey, an auto-rickshaw puller, said, “How do I run my family in this scenario of all-pervasive price rise? My profits, which were already minimal, will shrink further, for I won’t be able to charge more fare from my passengers. Is this what the present government had promised us during the election campaigns?”

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