State petroleum dealers seek govt help as strike continues

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Petroleum Dealers Association (MPDA) has asked the state government to declare strikes, especially of petroleum products and LPG, as illegal and demanded that the Indian Oil depot at Umiam should be reopened.
In a statement issued here, the MPDA said the petrol pumps are running out of stocks in and around Shillong due to the strike in Assam by tanker association controlling loading terminals in Guwahati for the last four days.
The statement comes in the wake of shortage of petrol in several fuel stations in the state since Thursday.
Pointing to the regular act of the tanker transport Union of Assam, the MPDA urged the state government to take up the matter with the neighbouring state to ensure uninterrupted petroleum and LPG supplies to Meghalaya.
In the wake of strikes called by petrol pump dealers, the MPDA said, “This is high time that the Government of Meghalaya take all urgent steps to reopen the closed Umiam Depot of the Indian Oil, which previously had 30-day buffer stock for Meghalaya.”
The organisation also recalled that former chief minister Mukul Sangma met Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The MPDA said the tanker drivers of Meghalaya are threatened with dire consequences, including burning of their petrol load tankers in case few of them report at the terminals to load tankers defying union orders.