Petrol, Diesel Shortage Looms! Association Warns Fuel Crisis In Odisha Amid Drivers’ Protest

Odisha’s transport system remains crippled for the second consecutive day as the All Odisha Driver Mahasangha (Union) continues its protest, pressing for its 7-point charter of demands. The agitation has disrupted the supply chain of essential commodities, with petrol and diesel stocks running critically low in several parts of the state.

No Fuel Transportation for Two Days

Sanjay Lath, president of the Petrol Pump Association, expressed concern over the situation. Although Paradip has an oil terminal and refinery, the ongoing protest has stalled tanker and goods vehicle movement. There has been no fuel transportation yesterday and today, informed sources.

Impending Oil Crisis Looms Large

Sources further warned that if the protest continues tomorrow, many petrol pumps across Odisha may run dry, triggering a full-blown oil crisis. He urged authorities and the protesting drivers to arrive at an amicable solution to avoid public inconvenience.

“The oil terminals and refineries are in Paradip. If you block the movement in Dhuria, then the entire supply is cut off. Yesterday, there was no fuel supply, and it has yet to resume today. The strike is underway. If the oil transportation remains affected like yesterday, then tomorrow, many fuel stations will run dry,” said Lath.

The drivers, however, remain firm on their demands, which include welfare measures and policy changes affecting their livelihoods.

Deadlock continues

After multiple rounds of high-level discussions that stretched late into Tuesday evening, Odisha government officials and representatives of the ‘All Odisha Driver Mahasangha (Union)’ failed to arrive at a concrete resolution to end the ongoing state-wide drivers’ and transportation workers’ strike.

Sources reported that despite back-to-back meetings, including a three-and-a-half-hour discussion at the Transport Minister’s residence and a separate two-and-a-half-hour session at Kharavela Bhavan in Bhubaneswar involving senior bureaucrats, no final agreement has been reached.