Oil tanker owners call off strike

Supply will ease today,  say fuel station owners

Srinagar, July 5

The two-day strike by oil tanker owners, which has resulted in shortage of fuel in the Srinagar city and major towns in the Valley has been called off late Wednesday evening.

Oil tanker owners have called for indefinite strike  after a body of a Jammu based tanker driver was recovered in Qazigund with ‘silt throat’. The Tanker Association has been demanding arrest of the accused persons responsible for killing of Akshay Kumar Sharma (tanker driver) a resident of Sunderbani and compensation to the family members of the deceased.

Talking to the Kashmir Reader Ayoub Bacha owner of Chinar Fuel Station M A Road said, “Since the morning there has been tremendous rush of customers in our stations which has resulted most of the petrol pumps, nearly 60 to 70 percent, ran out of fuel,”

He added that shortage will be over by tomorrow as the Tanker Owners Association has called off the strike.
Another petrol pump owner Waseem Ahmad who runs a petrol pump at Hyderpora here said that their supply dwindled by noon and they could not cater to the rush as many had zeroed in on their station to fill their tanks.

Ahmad said that the position is going to ease as the Tankers have already started loading the supply and many are on way with this essential commodity.

The stopping of supply had created major disruptions at other places and people struggled to get petrol with many visiting suburban stations to get their supply.

“I kept visiting from one pump to another and at last got some at HMT, where a beeline of motorists where waiting,” said Abdul Hameed Shala a resident of Zaldagar adding that many resorted to buying petrol in bulk from these outlets as there were rumors that the strike will continue.
All the three major supplies including the HPCL, BP and Indian Oil stations today received huge rush.

“When I heard about the strike I immediately went to the petrol pump and filled the tank I also took 3 liters in a separate bottle because of the fear that strike may prolong,” said Ali Mohammad a resident of Chanapora.      

Auto fuel is supplied through tankers to Kashmir by more than 1000 tankers plying daily to the Valley to cater the daily demands of 1200 KL of diesel, petrol and kerosene.

Talking to the Kashmir Reader, Pradeep Sharma Divisional Commissioner Jammu said, “Our negotiations with oil tanker association were successful and they have called off their strike.” He added that they have restored their work already.