UNP to challenge fuel price increase in courts

[TamilNet, Sunday, 29 July 2007, 22:07 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Sunday announced that it has decided to file suit against the SLFP government for increasing the price of fuel for the second time in a month causing tremendous hardship to people, political sources in Colombo said. Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also issued a statement criticising the government for the fuel price increase.

The government increased the price of fuel with effect from Saturday midnight

UNP parliamentarian Mr.Dayasiri Jayasekara, addressing a press briefing Sunday, said that the price of petrol was Rs: 51.00 per litre in 2005. Now the price has gone up to Rs: 117.00.

Meanwhile, the Private Bus Owners Association announced that it would increase the bus fare next week if the government fails to implement a subsidy scheme.

However, the Minister for Transport said that the government would not allow another bus fare increase.