Fuel Crisis Looms in Haryana as Truck Drivers' Strike Impacts Supply Chain

In Haryana, petrol pumps are now left with only a week's worth of petrol and diesel as private truck drivers are refraining from refilling at the Panipat refinery and the Bahadurgarh plant. This has led to a shortage of fuel at the pumps. The recent nationwide protests against the new Hit and Run law are affecting transporters and truck drivers in Haryana as well. Since December 29, due to the drivers' strike, the impact is becoming evident, particularly at petrol pumps across the state.

Unlike before, the stock of oil at the pumps is depleting because private truck drivers are not bringing fuel from the companies. Only pumps with their own vehicles are managing to receive oil. If the drivers' strike persists, Haryana may face a shortage of both diesel and petrol. The state has a total of three thousand petrol pumps.

The impact is expected to extend to the markets, especially in mandis where the strike is likely to affect the supply of vegetables, which predominantly come from other states. The reduced number of vehicles from Delhi, Himachal, and other neighbouring states is affecting transportation. Additionally, the supply of fruits and other food items from Jammu and Kashmir may also be disrupted.

The Haryana government has not issued any statement regarding the strike, but the bureaucracy is closely monitoring the situation. Congress legislator and former state president of Haryana Petrol Pump Association, Shamsher Singh Gogi, views the new law as authoritarian. He emphasises that if the law persists, no vehicle will operate, leading to a potential crisis in petrol pumps. He urges a prompt reconsideration of the law to avoid a severe practical penalty.

The Hit and Run law, amended in the Indian Penal Code in 2023, imposes fines up to seven lakh rupees and imprisonment up to ten years on guilty drivers. Transporters argue that accidents are not intentional and drivers often fear being victims of mob violence if they attempt to take the injured to the hospital. They are actively seeking support from private bus operators, auto-rickshaw drivers, and other organisations to make their strike successful. The situation remains tense as the state grapples with potential fuel shortages and transportation disruptions.