Odisha Bans Sale of Petrol in Plastic Bottles to Boost Safety and Curb Illegal Trade

Bhubaneswar: In a major move to enhance public safety and crack down on illegal fuel sales, the Odisha government on Monday announced a complete ban on the sale of petrol in plastic bottles across the state.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra at Lok Seva Bhawan. The meeting was attended by representatives from petroleum dealers’ associations and senior departmental officials.

Minister Patra emphasized that the sale of petrol in plastic containers not only poses serious fire hazards but also encourages black market practices. He directed all petroleum associations to adhere strictly to the safety protocols issued by public sector oil companies.

To ensure effective enforcement, district collectors have been assigned the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of the ban at the grassroots level. However, the minister clarified that the existing provisions for authorized petrol sales to institutions, farmers, and government departments will continue to remain in force.

Patra also warned that strict action would be taken against individuals or entities involved in illegal petrol sales, particularly roadside vendors and unauthorized outlets. Petrol pumps aiding such activities will also be held accountable.

Representatives of petroleum associations assured full cooperation and extended their support for the government’s safety-driven initiative.

Senior officials including Special Secretary of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department Shridhar Nayak, Senior Joint Controller of Legal Metrology Harish Chandra Patnaik, Deputy Director of Marketing Intelligence Deepak Satpathy, and State-Level Coordinator of public sector oil companies Kamal Sil were present at the meeting. Office bearers from major petroleum associations — including Sanjay Lath, Mahinder Singh Kalsi, and S.K. Rahman — also participated in the deliberations.