According to Shah, after a meeting of Civil Supplies Department officials for Surat city and Choryasi taluka, it was decided that agents would have to sell kerosene at Rs 2.59 per litre, while those within 10 kms of Surat would have to sell it for Rs 2.85 a litre. People residing in the taluka, situated more than 10 kms away from the city, will be charged Rs 2.89 for a litre, he added.

Finalising the rates for other talukas of the district, the collector said that the kerosene agents and dealers at Olpad and Kamrej taluka headquarters will have to sell kerosene at a rate of Rs 2.59 a litre, while those in the interior parts of the talukas had to charge Rs 2.89 a litre.

For the other talukas of the district, namely Palsana, Bardoli, Valod, Mahuva, Mandvi, Vyara, Songadh, Uchhal and Nizar the taluka headquarter rates of kerosene had been put at Rs 2.60 a litre and Rs 2.89 for the interior regions.

The collector further stated that the rates of selling kerosene would be subject to octroi charges by the Surat Municipal Corporation and if the wholesaler supplies kerosene to retailers from a depot other than the main depot, he is entitled to collect additional octroi charges from the retailer.According to Shah, the reason for the revision of kerosene rates was the shifting of the Surat Indian Oil main depot to Hazira and its subsequent revising of rates as well as the demand of the Kerosene Dealers' Association to hike the price of kerosene.