The All Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association on Monday called off their strike after the government accepted their demands, and would resume the supply for the Jammu region from Monday.
“The government has agreed to accept our two demands of providing compensation to the injured truck drivers and for the damaged tankers, hence we have decided to call off our indefinite strike from today,” President of the association, Anan Sharma said.
He said the services have been resumed for Jammu region only and “the decision to restore services for Kashmir and Ladakh would be taken only after the government assures us to provide security to our drivers and vehicles”.
“Large number of our vehicles were damaged and drivers and cleaners were injured by stone pelting mob in various parts of the Kashmir Valley when they were transporting fuel.
Though we faced no problems in Ladakh, the vehicles going to Ladakh have to travel from Kashmir Valley,” Sharma said.
After several rounds of meetings with the government representatives which failed yesterday, it accepted their demand today.
“Yesterday, the government agreed to provide compensation to the injured drivers and the damaged trucks but there was nothing in writing, today they have agreed to give it in writing so we have called off the strike,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Simrandeep Singh said, the tankers’ strike has been called off in Jammu and the petrol pumps will start getting supply in next two hours.
Regarding restoration of supplies to Kashmir and Ladakh, he said it too will follow within next 24 hours as some demands are being worked upon.
The life across Jammu region was crippled after the petrol pumps ran dry when the supply was stopped following the strike by the Oil Tankers Association on Saturday.
Long queues were seen outside petrol pumps yesterday as people were desperate to get their vehicles refilled.
From PTI, Feature image courtesy: indiatoday.intoday.in
