India: Oil Strike Ends With Fuel Distribution Returning to Normal (Update3)

                                                                                                                "Hindustan Petroleum has been able to supply fuel to at least 80 percent of the petrol stations in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and other northern towns and cities. But the supplies are still not normal in many non-metros and towns," Ashok Badhawar, president of trade body Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, told IANS.

Badhawar said oil depots across the country are distributing fuel through oil tankers and trains. "There is nothing to panic about now. Oil refineries are working non-stop to clear the backlog," he said. "Oil companies always store 20 days of stock, so major cities would get fresh supplies immediately," Badhawar said. But he warned that it would take at least three to four days for the oil companies to stabilise supplies across the country.

State-owned oil marketing majors such as Indian Oil Corp (IOC) were open Saturday, and will also work Sunday to replenish stocks in the outlets across the country after most ran dry following the crippling oil sector strike. Badhawar said there are about 38,650 pumps owned by the state-run oil companies in the country. Hundreds of petrol and diesel stations reopened Saturday, after the strike ended Friday evening.

Most of the Indian capital's 413 fuel stations began to function by noon after receiving fresh stocks from the oil companies. Some 45,000 officers from the major oil firms went on an indefinite strike Wednesday demanding higher salaries. The strike involving 13 public sector oil firms was called off late Friday evening after the government warned that the strikers would be sacked and arrested if they did not resume work.

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