The Hindu : Petrol supply improves

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Petrol supply improves

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI APRIL 18. It was a good Friday for motorists as the demand-supply position of petrol in the city improved considerably, even as the truckers strike moved into the fifth day with threats by the leaders to intensify their agitation.

The announcement that the oil tankers would stop transportation of the automobile fuels from Monday comes a day after the police asked the public not to panic on account of petrol. While there were no reports about disruption in milk and water supplies despite Thursday's announcement that those trucks would also join the stir, a senior leader of the truckers said, "once diesel supplies to the bunks are cut off then they would also be affected from Monday".

But, a majority of the petrol bunks in the city have been replenished with fresh stocks, which were moved in trucks with police escort, oil industry sources said. The process of supplies would be continued, subject to availability of additional police support, they added.

The worst affected due to the strike, however, were thousands of families dependent on the transport industry for a livelihood.

For the fifth day in succession, areas associated with the cargo industry such as Salt Cotaurs, the Chennai port and the lorry terminals wore a deserted look, with many of the migrant workers said to have returned to their hometown in the absence of any work.

"About 12,000 tonnes of cargo, mainly comprising cement, food grains and fertilisers are lying at the Salt Coutaurs", said T. Nagalingam, Vice-President of the Kannapar Thidal Lorry Owners Association.

He added that about 10,000 people and workforce of 2,000 lorries were dependent on the railway cargo shed for livelihood. While many of the lorry owners were paying some compensation to the workers for the strike period, "it was not possible for others", he pointed out.

For daily wage earners like Manoharan, there was little they could do other than wait for the strike to be called off.

At the Chennai port, containers have piled up and normal cargo movement has come to a standstill.

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