The Hindu Business Line : Fuel crisis stares Bengal as tanker strike continues

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Kolkata Jan. 29 Kolkata and its adjoining five districts were in the grip of an acute auto-fuel crisis, as tanker operators continued their strike for the fourth day demanding a sharp increase in freight charges.

As negotiations held under the auspices of the State Government failed this afternoon with tanker operators resisting alternative arrangements suggested by the oil marketing companies, the crisis is likely to have more impact on the city on Tuesday.

According to estimates available with the West Bengal Petroleum Dealers Association, roughly 90 per cent of the retail outlets of IOC, HPCL, BPCL and IBP in Kolkata and its adjoing districts of South and North 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah and Nadia have gone dry beginning Sunday evening.

Also affected are kerosene supplies. Roughly 50 per cent of the daily quota of 2,000 kl have not been lifted during the last three days leading to a stockpile at the Budge Budge and Mourigram depots.

Though supplies of aviation turbine fuel to the Kolkata airport have also been hit, refuelling of air traffic may not be affected immediately as the existing ATF stocks (at the airport) will last for another six days. Roughly 800 kl of ATF is consumed at Kolkata airport every day.

"The State Government and the Union Ministry of Petroleum have already been appraised about the impending crisis and we are looking forward to the Government intervention to resolve the crisis", said an IOC official.

According to Mr Gautam Dutta, General Manager of IOC and State-level coordinator for oil PSUs, roughly 400 privately-run tankers have gone on strike from January 25, demanding over 50 per cent increase in freight charges from the existing Rs 111.77 per kl. The strike call was given on January 23 through a letter to the State Transport Ministry.

Accordingly, a tripartite meeting was set up on January 29. While oil companies agreed to increase the freight charges to Rs 122.67 per kl - reportedly the highest in the country — tanker owners said they would not accept anything below Rs. 130 per kl.

According to Mr Dutta, the rates offered were higher than the existing highest rate of Rs 120.82 per kl paid to tanker operators in Delhi. Mr Ajit Das, representing the tanker operators' association, however, held that oil companies were responsible for failure of today's meeting.

Meanwhile, tanker operators largely resisted the effort made by oil companies to maintain supplies through company-owned tankers. "All three oil companies together own 20 tankers. We have done our best to replenish the stocks at retail outlets during the last three days. However, our effort has been resisted. We were not allowed to operate our own vehicles after 5 pm on January 28", Mr Dutta said, urging Government intervention.

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Fuel crisis stares Bengal as tanker strike continues