Written by Raakhi Jagga | Ludhiana |
January 9, 2009 2:12:41 am
January 9, 2009 2:12:41 am
The second day of the strike by oil sector employees resulted in a crisis-like situation across the state. Most petrol pumps in the city had gone dry with new supplies yet to reach the fuel stations.
Of the total 107 fuel stations in Ludhiana,nearly 90 had gone dry by evening and were supplying the reserve stock sanctioned by the government. Even the 45 LPG agencies were without stock.
Sources said that since the staff of the Indian Oil Corporation,Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation are on strike since yesterday,there has been no supply today.
The crisis deepened from today afternoon when motorists entered stations only to be told that there was no stock of either petrol or diesel. There were long queues at some fuel stations as panicked motorists decided to stock up for the coming days.
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By evening,fuel stations opposite Verka,near Aggar Nagar,Bharat Nagar,Canal Road,Pakhowal Road,Fountain Chowk and Dugri among others had gone dry and had put
No Stock notice outside the stations.
In the evening,district food and civil supplies controller officers H S Mukhu and Gulbahar Singh called a meeting and asked all fuel station owners to keep 1,000 litres of both petrol and diesel in reserve for emergency purposes and supply to government vehicles as well.
The strike has also hit the Municipal Corporation. Sources said the MC vehicles will not lift garbage from the city roads tomorrow.
Ashok Sachdeva,General Secretary,Ludhiana Petrol Pump Dealers Association said: I am not getting any supplies since yesterday and hence the stocks finished by today afternoon.
Joint secretary Raju Sharma added: A number of city pumps have gone dry and we dont know when this strike will be lifted. Nearly 45,000 public sector oil employees,called for the strike demanding a pay hike.
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