Date:09/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010960810100.htm

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Oil, LPG in short supply

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: Petrol pumps across the country were running out of fuel and the backlog of domestic LPG cylinders was rising, as the strike by the Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) entered the second day on Thursday. Work at major refineries came to a halt, severely impacting power generation. The working of fertilizer units has been hit by shortage in gas supply.

The talks between the OSOA leaders, representing 14 state-run PSUs, and government representatives at the Indian Oil Corporation office at Noida failed to produce a breakthrough. For, the OSOA leaders insisted on their demands being accepted in toto. They failed to turn up for talks late Wednesday night at the GAIL office here and kept Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora and Petroleum Secretary R.S. Pandey waiting for hours.

Mr. Pandey indicated that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation was set to issue “dismissal” orders to nearly 60 officers. “The orders could be issued anytime. ONGC Chairman R.S. Sharma has rushed to Mumbai to kick-start gas supply from its units. We will take strong action against this unwarranted action of the officers,” a senior official said.

Fuelling operations at various airlines were also affected or delayed. In Delhi, about 40 per cent of the petrol pumps owned by the IOC and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited went out of stocks.