While senior BJP Ministers have been moving up and down the main city roads in big cavalcades, the common masses in Jammu are reeling under acute shortage of petroleum products due to the strike called by All J&K oil tanker Drivers and conductors union and J&K Petrol Tanker owners association after yesterday.
Anan Sharma, President of Tankers Owners Association said that in less than 24 hours, the strike was announced that the majority of petrol pumps in and around Jammu went dry leading to a chaotic situation in the region.
Through out the day, commuters queued up in front of the petrol pumps and had to wait for long hours to get rationed supply of petroleum products. In some cases the petrol pumps started running dry leading to chaos in the middle of the roads as long queues were converted in to long traffic jams.
Ironically, the senior BJP ministers who had to attend the public rally in Smailpur were seen moving up and down the national highway with their supporters in long cavalcades.
The same leaders remained ignorant about the hardships being faced by the common masses in the absence of petrol and diesel supplies. At many places, the commuters were seen entering into an argument with the petrol pump owners and their workers for failing to provide them minimum quantity of petroleum products to run their vehicles.
Ironically, the state government functionaries were nowhere to be seen working to resolve the crisis.
The drivers of petrol tankers decided to go on strike to protest absence of security leading to attacks on them in the Valley. They went on strike seeking adequate security cover.
According to official sources, the divisional administration, Jammu through one of their Additional deputy commissioners, has called a meeting of their representatives to diffuse the situation before it takes an ugly turn.
Drivers union is demanding Rs 1 lakh per injured driver of the tanker and about one dozen drivers were injured in fresh attacks during the Kashmir unrest in different areas and they are admitted in civil and army hospitals. Sources said that government is paying them Rs 10,000 per driver and driver union is adamant on their demand.
Divisional Commissioner, Pawan Kotwal and other police officers are going to meet agitating drivers and assuring them compensation, but how much government will announce, it will be understood in the meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
But drivers and owners of the oil tankers have categorically told government that they will not supply oil to Valley till protection is provided.
Sources said if drivers agreed for compensation, then oil supply can be restored to Jammu only, that also after tomorrow afternoon.
ਖ਼ਬਰਾਂ
Petrol pumps go dry in Jammu on day 1 of strike
Page Visitors: 2418
Petrol pumps go dry in Jammu on day 1 of strike
India Today | 21st Aug, 2016 06:41 PM