Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010255481200.htm

National

LPG tankers on strike

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Owners of more than 3,500 tankers which are transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Mangalore to various parts of the State and neighbouring States, have withdrawn the tanker services from Wednesday night demanding higher transportation charges.

Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Association G.R. Shanmugappa said in a press release that the owners had launched indefinite strike as the talks with the authorities to resolve the issue had failed.

He said the tankers were supplying LPG to Bangalore, Kochi, Salem, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the transportation charge of Rs 1.6 a kilometre fixed by the oil companies was unscientific. He said that a minimum charge of Rs 2.9 a kilometre was necessary. The federation said that the oil companies had offered to pay Rs 1.89 a km, but the tanker owners had rejected the offer as it was too low to maintain the service.