Sunday holiday for petrol pumps from May 14; no night shift either

Bengaluru, May 5: Petrol pumps will be closed every Sunday starting May 14 and all the 3,000 filling stations in Karnataka will be open only for 12 hours during the daytime from May 15 onwards, the Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders announced on Thursday.

But considering the convenience of motorists, the federation has allowed petrol pumps on highways to operate at night as well as on Sundays. The exception won’t apply to Bengaluru.

The decision came after the federation decided to join the agitation launched by the Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) demanding an end to “anomalies” in dealers’ commission.

Federation president B R Ravindranath said the Centre had failed to settle several long-pending issues pertaining to dealers’ commission. “The Apurva Chandra committee had recommended revision of dealers’ commission every six months. But even six years after it submitted the report, there has been no action while our operation costs have increased manifold,” he said.

‘No Purchase Day’

As part of the protest, petroleum dealers across the country will observe ‘No Purchase Day’ on May 10 and will not buy fuel from oil marketing companies (OMCs) that day.

“Since the last revision in dealers’ commission, there has been a huge increase in prices of all commodities and services. We estimate that about 25% of the operation will be saved by shutting down pumps once a week and with the single-shift operation,” he said.

Ravindranath said the federation would consider 24/7 operations if the government implemented the committee’s recommendations. “It has been five years since the Centre received the report. There has been no progress since then. The government and OMCs point fingers at each other whenever we demand justice. We will continue the agitation until the government implements the report,” he said.

Putting foot down

Dealers not to buy fuel from oil marketing companies on May 10.

Single-shift operation (12 hours) from May 15.

Move to cut operation cost in the wake of lower commission.

Dealers may reconsider 24/7 operations if govt fulfills demands.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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