THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Petrol pumps will remain shut between 8 pm on December 31st to 6 am the next New Year morning. Officials of the All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders reasoned the sudden move to shut down businesses for the government's inaction on the spike in cases of Petrol employees getting attacked by goons.

The federation also warned that the petrol pumps would have to adopt strict measures such as working only till night 10 pm from March of next year if the government fails to find a solution to this misery. The organization demands that laws be made to protect the pump employees akin to the newly made laws to protect health workers during hospital attacks.

There is a government directive not to give fuel in plastic bottles. The central agencies have also suggested cancelling the license of the pump if flouted the rule. According to the organization, it is people who arrive at night demanding petrol in plastic bottles, who are causing serious trouble, and hurting employees. Officials have informed that 14 Yatra fuel outlets owned by KSRTC will work 24 hours in the event of a state-wide strike tomorrow. Yatra Fuel outlets are located at East Fort, Vikas Bhavan, Kilimanoor, Chadayamangalam, Ponkunnam, Cherthala, Mavelikara, Munnar, Muvattupuzha, Paravur, Chalakudy, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kozhikode.