Retired HC judge to mediate, LPG tanker strike called off

When the plea moved by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) seeking to declare the strike from July 1 as illegal came up before him, Justice PC Audikesavalu appointed retired judge N Paul Vasanthakumar to mediate between the two parties based on the suggestion mooted by the counsels from both sides that the matter could be resolved throughmediation.

Holding that the mediator would enquire as to whether there was any violation of contractual obligations on the part of the oil companies – Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Indian Oil Corporation and HPCL – the judge added in the interim order that the strike called by the association should not be given effect until the mediation process was completed.

The plea has been posted for further hearing by two weeks.

The transporters had called for the strike seeking the restoration of the State-wise tender system for bulk LPG transportation contracts that was existing earlier and inducting all qualified tankers among other demands. According to them, under the State-wise tender system, every tanker lorry part of the association used to get the contract for transporting LPG. But after a new tender was floated in August 2018, many of the tankers remain unused, as these vehicles could be used only to carry LPG and not any other cargo.

In its PIL, HPCL had sought for a direction to police and other authorities to invoke powers under the Essential Commodities Act to prevent the strike, as it would affect the supply of cooking gas. The tanker lorries carry LPG from refineries of the oil marketing companies to the bottling plants across southern States.