LPG tankers association to go on strike protesting the revised tender rules
According to reports the supply of gas cylinders across south India could soon be hit, as the Southern Regional Bulk LPG Transport Owners’ Association (SRBLTOA) will go on an indefinite strike from Monday, to protest the change in tender rules for hiring LPG tankers. Presently the association wants the region wise tender for hiring tankers to continue.
Meanwhile the region wise tenders have remained unchanged for three decades now. However, last year, the centre switched to State level tenders for hiring tankers for the next 5 years. Moreover the LPG tanker owners’ association comprises of owners from Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry.
Furthermore under the new norms, a tanker registered in one state can only
participate in the tenders in that state, and cannot operate in other states.
Accordingly preference would be given to 21 tone capacity tankers. This
reportedly constitutes only 20% of the 7500 tankers in Chennai. The others are
all 18 tone capacity and hence the strike is to get the Centre to take
decisions by considering the interest of all stakeholders.