Truckers ferrying essential supplies in J&K begin indefinite strike

The transport organisations, ferrying essential supplies in Jammu and Kashmir, today began an "indefinite strike" and halted supply of commodities in the state including to security forces alleging attacks on their trucks in the Valley.

"From Saturday onwards we have decided to proceed on an indefinite strike across the state," President of All Jammu and Kashmir Truck Drivers and Conductors Union, Kharudin Wani, said.

The All Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association too has decided to call for an indefinite strike, stating that 14 oil tankers were attacked and damaged in Kashmir.

The Transport association has also decided to stop supply to the security establishments including Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh region. The strike would threaten oil supplies to the Siachen glacier. This is for the first time truckers and oil tankers have decided to stop essential supplies of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

"14 of our tankers were damaged by the stone-pelting mob and two of our drivers were seriously injured in the attack," President of the All Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association, Anan Sharma, claimed.

He said that the oil supply including, petrol, diesel and kerosene would be stopped which would affect all the petrol stations across the state. "We have had enough, for the past 40 days we have been doing our bit, but we have become easy targets, we have time and again appealed to the authorities to provide security to our drivers, but now we have decided to proceed on with the strike," Sharma said.

There are around 1800 oil tankers in Jammu and Kashmir which supply fuel to various petrol pumps and security establishments across the state.

The transport union presidents say that they will call off their strike only when the government agrees to provide security to them. "We will resume our services only after the government provides security to our drivers, free treatment to those injured and compensation to the tankers and trucks damaged by the stone pelting mob in Kashmir," he said.

Yesterday, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) decided to defer their Jammu Bandh call indefinitely after it did not get support from other quarters.

Several political, religious and business associations had decided against extending their support to the Bandh call given by the CCIJ.