Date:01/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070154490600.htm

Tamil Nadu

State, Centre urged to tackle artificial shortage of diesel

Special Correspondent

SALEM: The Confederation of Southern States Lorry Owners Associations has urged the State and Central governments to “tackle” effectively the crisis of artificial shortage of diesel in the four southern states and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. According to them, it has almost crippled the road transport industry.

While deciding to join the nation-wide strike call given by the All India Motor Transport Congress from the midnight of July 2, the Confederations South Zone Co-ordination Committee, which met here on Sunday, blamed government-owned oil corporations, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, for the present shortage.

Lorry owners from the southern States said since ordinary diesel had disappeared from almost all petrol bunks, they were forced to buy the ‘Extra Premium’ diesel for much higher prices.

“Creating scarcity”

The oil firms were creating an artificial scarcity to promote this brand of diesel.

The meeting, chaired by the AIMTC Vice President and Confederations General Secretary G.R. Shanmugappa, urged the Centre and Karnataka government not to insist on fixing speed governors in heavy vehicles. The exercise, it said, was a failure.

The indefinite lorry strike from the midnight of July 2 would keep nearly 48 lakh lorries off the roads.

Those who participated in the meeting included P. Gopal Naidu (Andhra Pradesh State Lorry Owners Sammelan), Ponnambalam (Southern Region LPG Tanker Owners Association), Kesavan (Pondicherry Lorry Owners Association) and others from various towns across Tamil Nadu.