ESMA invoked against striking officers of oil firms

State’s Civil Supplies Minister Narottambhai Patel,who was in Panchmahals district,said the striking officials were expected to resume their duty soon. If they did not do so,he said,shortages might affect the state.

“If they do not turn up for duty,we will take action against them under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (India),” said Patel.

He added that every care would be taken to ensure that the general public do not suffer because of the shortage of essential commodities.

Civil Supplies Secretary Rajesh Kishore said the government was keeping a close watch on the situation to deal with complaints of shortages even from remote areas.

He,however,did not spell out as to which areas were affected the most,but said that complaints were bound to come in such situation.

When asked about the situation after invocation of ESMA in the state,he said the law was invoked only the previous night and it would take some time before one knew of its impact.

He said the government was gathering data from various places even as the invocation of ESMA was under different stages at different places.

Meanwhile,sources in the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation said that in the wake of the petroleum strike,the corporation had stored enough fuel stock so that it can last till a fortnight.

GSRTC secretary P D Patel said: “We are not going to face any problem because of the strike. Every time,ahead of such emergencies,we make sure that adequate fuel is stocked.”

He said the state government had tackled the situation tactfully when the LPG distributors were planning to go on a strike.

Meanwhile,the truck operators association has decided to hold a meeting at Delhi on Friday to chalk out a strategy to deal with the situation arising out of the government’s decision to invoke ESMA.

Industrial units hit by oil strike

Vadodara: AS the Oil Sector Officers’ Association (OSOA) decided to intensify their strike on day two,the supplies of LPG and CNG to industries have been hit. Over 500 industrial units,including the ones at Ankleshwar,Jhagadia and Panoli,have been closed.

Most of these units,which use natural gas to carry out their operations,get their regular supply from Gujarat Gas. However,due to non-availability of supplies from GAIL,IOC and ONGC,the units have been forced to remain shut.

The Gujarat Gas has expressed its inability to continue the supply because of the ongoing strike by officers of the oil PSUs.

“On each day,the Ankleshwar units are losing around Rs 200 crore,” said Atul Buch of Ankleshwar Industrial Association.

According to the Association of Technical and Scientific Officers (ASTO),GAIL pipeline,which supplied gas to the units there,had dried up. The NTPC power generation plant at Hazira was also closed because of the non-availability of gas.

Meanwhile,long queues were seen at most petrol pumps in Vadodara.

According to District Collector Vijay Nehra,the collectorate would ensure that the supply of essential commodities like milk,vegetables,petrol,and kerosene was not affected.

The citizens facing any problem in getting essential commodities can get in touch with the district officials by contacting them on phone number 2416190,said officials.