The Hindu : Vegetable prices still high, petrol supply inadequate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Vegetable prices still high, petrol supply inadequate

By S. Vydhianathan

Petrol tankers being escorted by the police to outstations from the Bharat Petroleum filling station at Tondiarpet, Chennai, on Thursday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI April 17. As talks between the Centre and truck operators failed to break the deadlock, the situation turned worse on the fourth day of their strike today.

Vegetable prices continued to be beyond reach. Though the State Government utilised transport corporation buses for vegetable movement, the effort failed to impact on prices. While there was more availability than on the last two days, the prices continued to rule high.

For two-wheeler and car owners also, the ordeal continued as a majority of the bunks dried out.

Though retail selling points got more supply today, thanks to police escort, it was not sufficient to meet the demand. But the situation, State government officials here hoped, would ease from tomorrow as more tankers were being moved from refineries to petrol bunks.

The officials here complained that petrol bunk owners were unwilling to lift the stocks, expecting that the oil price would crash further. The Government had warned them of severe action if they refuse to lift the stocks in sufficient quantity.

Loading and unloading continued to be disrupted in the Chennai Port Trust and on railway goods yards, affecting thousands of casual workers. As 90 per cent of them were daily wage earners, many, along with their families, had to go with an empty stomach, as there was no work.

On Wednesday, the Chief Minister convened a meeting of top officials to review the situation. According to official sources, it was still under control as steps had been taken for movement of vegetables and petrol. The stocks of other essential commodities like rice were extremely comfortable. They said the State Government had refused to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act to break the strike as directed by the Centre. The demands of the truck operators were of an all-India nature and it was for the Centre to take action to end the strike, they pointed out.

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