Tankers' strike enters fifth day;petrol pumps run dry in Bengal ;

Kolkata, Jan 29 (UNI) About 1500 petrol pumps in West Bengal ran dry as the indefinite strike by tanker operators continued for the fifth day today without any immediate sign of solution even though the oil offered a ten per cent hike on the existing transportation rates.

The announcement for the increased rate, the highest in all metros, was made by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) shortly after a tripartite meeting failed as West Bengal Tankers Association(WBTA) insisted on almost doubling the existing rate.

With 300 petrol pumps in the city and 1200 in districts going dry, a sizable number of private buses, taxis and mini buses went off the road, while vehicles were seen queueing up for refuelling.

" The transporters declined to accept the best rate of transportation offered among all metros and stuck to their demand for more, which is totally uncalled for and unjustified, " IOC Deputy General Manager (Corporate Communication), ER, said while speaking on behalf of the oil companies.

The existing rate of transportation from the state's Maurigram and Budge Budge terminals is Rs 110 per km, which according to the revised rate would be Rs 122.67 per km. But the association demanded that it should be raised to Rs 200 per km.

Earlier, blaming the oil companies for the stalemate, state Transport Minister Subhash Chakraborty said after the failed tripartite meeting that the impasse was due to the "rigid mindset" of the oil companies.

" They came here for the sake of formality and had no intention of ending the deadlock. The proposal they are giving for a hike between seven and eight per cent is not acceptable, " he said.

Mr Ajit Das, Secretary Tankers' Association, said the strike would continue at least till Wednesday when the operators were scheduled to meet among themselves to reassess their position.

However, making the announcement for the ten per cent hike, IOC hoped the State Government would now intervene to end the situation.

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UNI