Petrol stations dry, flights delayed by oil strike

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New Delhi: Petrol stations ran dry and flights were delayed at busiest airport as a strike by state oil company officials demanding better pay entered a second day.

Supplies were squeezed and oil companies said they were sacking striking workers, including the head of the union leading the agitation.

India's energy sector, controlling almost the entire supply of transport fuels, natural gas and domestic crude oil.

About 30 per cent of gas stations in the capital, New Delhi, had run out of fuel, Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey said, while oil firms said there would be graver shortages if the strike continued.

Pandey said about 100 petrol stations in Mumbai, the financial hub, were not functioning. Compressed natural gas supplies in the city have also been affected.

Unions leaders representing firms such as refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp said no negotiated solution was in sight for a walkout that has cut natural gas supplies by a third and reduced output at refineries and oilfields.

"The government is very adamant. The minister is not willing to meet us," said Amit Kumar, the President of the Oil Sector Officers' Association (OSOA), which represents 55,000 employees at a handful of government-own firms.

IOC's Director of Marketing, G C Daga, said supplies to retail outlets had plummeted, with just 10 per cent of normal off take leaving refineries on Wednesday.

"It will be reduced further today," he said. "After one to two days, there will be a problem."

Long queues of cars formed outside petrol pumps in New Delhi, amid fears most would run dry, witnesses said. Queueing cars blocked main streets, causing traffic jams.

Unions have called strikes frequently in recent years but this is first time they have affected supplies. Offering some comfort to the government, officials at Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd have not joined the stoppage, while a strike by millions of truck drivers has lowered diesel demand.

SACKINGS

The government has said the strike is illegal and has asked states to use laws that forbid disruption of supplies of essential commodities in Asia's third-largest oil consumer.

Companies are getting tough, firing some striking employees.

"ONGC has decided to dismiss 64 officials, including the OSOA's president Amit Kumar," Pandey said. "IOC will dismiss three officials that were suspended yesterday. Some more are going to be dismissed."

Kumar works as chief engineer at the firm.