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This had resulted in some of the dealers not taking delivery of products. While there had been an allegation that the oil company was trying to pile up stocks to take advantage of the daily rise in the price of petrol and diesel, sources in the oil company denied the allegation and said the company had stopped providing credit to the dealers and had now been demanding ready payments for supplies.
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Sabarinath, vice-president of the Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, said the fuel dealers had met the District Collector on Wednesday to impress upon him the seriousness of the situation and that the district authorities had agreed to intervene in the matter. The Kerala State Petroleum Traders’ Association has alleged that around 200 retail fuel outlets had been affected in the State by a short supply of petrol and diesel by Hindustan Petroleum Company Limited (HPCL).
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