Chandigarh, (IANS) The Petrol Pump Dealers Association of Punjab on Thursday announced an indefinite strike from Friday in nine districts bordering other states over high taxes on petroleum products which it said were the highest among northern states.

“We have been apprising the government, including the chief minister, for quite some time over equalisation of value added tax (VAT) and state specific taxes on petroleum products, but there is no response,” association president Paramjit Singh Doaba told IANS.

He said the petroleum dealers have been losing customers owing to high taxes.

“We are left with no option but to go on an indefinite hunger strike on April 29 and to stop buying of petroleum products from May 1 in nine districts,” he said.

Petrol prices in Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh are cheaper by Rs.5-6 per litre compared to Punjab, which levies 36.54 percent VAT.

Likewise, taxes on diesel in Punjab’s neighbouring states are also less, making diesel cheaper there by 90 paise to Rs.1.20 per litre.