Date:09/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010961570100.htm

New Delhi

Petrol, cooking gas in short supply

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: Petrol pumps across the country were running out of fuel and the backlog of domestic LPG cooking gas cylinders was rising on Thursday as the strike by the Oil Sector Officers’ Association (OSOA) entered its second day.

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 in 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 Union 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.

Strong action

“The orders could be issued any time. 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, 40 per cent of the petrol pumps owned by the IOC and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited went out of stocks. But those of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited were operating normally as the company is not part of the agitation. “We have been managing the situation till now, but there are supply constraints. If the strike continues, we may see major dry-outs from Friday,” IOC Chairman Sarthak Behuria said.