The Southern Region Bulk LPG Transport Owners’ Association withdrew their strike after the Madras High Court appointed a retired judge as mediator to look into the issues raised by oil marketing companies and the tankers’ association.
N.R. Karthick, secretary of the association said, “we proposed to go on strike from 6 a.m. on Monday. However, after hearing the case, the High Court appointed a former judge as a mediator to look into the issues and submit a report in 15 days. Both the association and oil marketing companies agreed to the proposal. Following this, we decided to withdraw our strike call.”
He also said that LPG tankers would report for loading as usual at refineries here. Mr. Karthick said they are hopeful that the retired High Court judge would hear their grievances and necessary action would be taken based on his report. Oil marketing companies moved the High Court recently against the strike proposed by the association across six southern states — Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry. The association had announced an indefinite strike from July 1 demanding job orders for over 600 LPG tankers registered with the association. Hearing the case on Monday, the High Court appointed former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Paul Vasanthakumar as a mediator.
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There are over 5,500 LPG tankers registered with the association out of which only 4,800 have got job orders as per the new tender held in August last year. The association had called for the strike demanding job orders from oil companies for remaining tankers as they could be only be used for this and their livelihood would be affected since the tankers were bought with loans.