It's business usual for thepeople residing in the close vicinity of Polem, Canacona, but a money-spinningavenue to people residing in Karnataka border areas. Trade in booze and spirit(petroleum products) is flourishing here with the State government doing awaywith petrol surcharge and the new breed of ‘entreprenures’ using the sop forwindfall gains and spending it on the liquor brands.
In terms of trade, petrol hasdisplaced liquor of its prime position in underworld activity, as the marginover a litre of petrol is Rs 21 in Karntaka. A litre of petrol costs Rs 73.56in the neighbouring state, whereas it sells for Rs 54.56 in Goa. Even diesel iscomparatively cheaper in Polem by Rs 2.56 per litre. Instead of trade inliquor, ‘entrepreneurs’ are adopting new ways and means to carry petrol andspend the hefty profit on liquor here.
Huge queues are seen at Polempetrol pump, barely a km away from Goa’s border with Karnataka. Though many usethe subsidized fuel for personal consumption, racketeers line up with an eye onhefty returns.
According to a petrol pumpmanager at Polem, sale of petrol during last three months has almost doubleed,with vehicles from Karnataka consuming the maximum stock.
"Around 40 percent ofvehicle owners from different parts of North Karnataka (Majali, Ankola,Sadshivgad, Kadra, Asnoti, Makeri, Anshi, etc) visit Polem with doubleintention -- to consume alcohol and fill petrol -- (as both are cheaper) andsometimes to carry both illegally in cans or boxes,’’ the petrol pump managersaid.
“With the help of a pipe,petrol from the car’s fuel tank is offloaded into cans while a supervisor keepswatch over the cans. The cars then return back to the Polem pump and the cyclegoes on,” said Freddy Rebello, a social worker from Loliem-Polem.
Incidentally, this activitywent on mostly after sundown, to avoid the attention of authorities, Governmentshould take prompt action on it, or else it’s going to be a huge loss to theGoa’s exchequer, Rebello added.
In a bid to curb the illegalfuel trade petrol pump operators in the State were prohibited from sellingpetrol in large cans.
The large queue of Karnatakaregistered vehicles at the Polem pump angered Goan motorists who protested andforced the petrol outlet manager to maintain a separate queue for Goanvehicles.
To overcome the new hurdlesome people from Karwar have purchased vehicles and registered them in Goa onthe name of their local friends. They then queue up in the line meant for Goansto fill petrol.
“The long queue of Karnatakaregistered vehicles deprives locals of their share of fuel. This could provecostly for petrol pump owners in Canacona,” said Mahadev Gaonkar, formerSarpanch of Cotigao Village Panchayat.
