By IANS,
Agartala/Guwahati : Operations in the Assam refineries have been hit and fuel supply across the northeast has been affected following the ongoing strike by officers of public sector oil firms.
Most fuel stations in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and other northeastern states have dried up, severely affecting the public transport system across the hilly region.
“The generation of power in most thermal power projects in the northeastern states has fallen by 50 percent due to interrupted and uneven supply of natural gas by the ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corp),” said Tripura Power and Transport Minister Manik Dey.
“The overall situation of fuel supply and power generation would further deteriorate if the strike continues,” he said.
Production from various wells stopped, affecting supply of crude oil by Oil India Ltd (OIL) and ONGC to refineries at Digboi, Numaligarh, Guwahati and Bongaigaon.
“There is no question of bowing down until our 11-point charter of demands, including higher salaries, is met,” said Ajoy Borthakur, secretary of the Assam unit of the Oil Sector Officers’ Association (OSOA) that has called a nationwide strike since Wednesday morning.
“Let the authorities do whatever they like, we would continue with our strike,” Borthakur said by phone from Duliajan in Assam.
“A large number of LPG bottling plants have been closed in the northeastern states due to non-supply of gas and we fear crisis of cooking gas in the coming days,” the Tripura minister added.