Feb 6 (IL) The refusal by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to pay 'LTTE tax' on fuel to the North-East has resulted in the LTTE reportedly imposing a Rs. 5 tax on civilians in the province.
Sources said that the LTTE has imposed a Rs. 5 hike on every litre of petrol and diesel sold to civilians living in the North-East. The LTTE reportedly imposed this levy from Sunday. Since the implementation of the LTTE tax, a litre of petrol is now sold at Rs. 67 while a litre of diesel is sold at Rs. 48.
However CPC chief Daham Wimalasena said that they were not willing to pay any tax to the LTTE.
He also claimed that even though he had heard about this latest LTTE levy, the CPC workers attached to the fuel stations in the North-East haven't informed him of this latest development.
Mid last month the LTTE demanded the CPC pay 50 cents per every litre of fuel sold in the province, and banned the distribution of fuel in the North-East until the CPC agreed to pay the tax determined by the Tigers, but later the LTTE withdrew their request following government intervention.
