 "Truck drivers protest")
Truck drivers' strike: Amid an ongoing strike by truck drivers over the new hit-and-run law, Chandigarh on Tuesday imposed a temporary restriction on the sale of petrol and diesel. Two-wheelers in Chandigarh are now limited to two litres or a maximum value of Rs 200 of fuel, while four-wheelers are limited to 5 litres or a maximum value of Rs 500.
"The imposed limitations are a proactive measure to ensure the availability of fuel for all during this period of temporary disruption of fuel supply," the Chandigarh administration said.
"Fuel station operators are urged to comply with these regulations, and consumers are kindly requested to cooperate with the imposed restrictions," it added.
"Efforts are going on to resume supply of fuel to Chandigarh in coordination with Oil Marketing Companies and Punjab and Haryana," the statement added.
Truckers' strike hits fuel supply
About 2,000 petrol pumps, mostly in western and northern India, have run out of fuel stocks as the strike by some truckers' associations entered the second day on Tuesday.
While state-owned oil firms had topped up tanks at most petrol pumps across the country in anticipation of the truckers' strike, some petrol pumps in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab ran out of stock due to heavy rush, industry officials said.
Long queues were witnessed at several pumps in these states as panic set in on stocks running out.
Situation in southern India is better with no major supply disruption barring a few pumps in Hyderabad, they said.
Essential supplies of vegetables, fruits and milk too may get affected if the three-day strike is extended or a pan-India movement is launched.
What is the truck driver strike about?
Truck and bus drivers, along with petrol pumps, are protesting against the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which has a provision for hit-and-run cases. The new penal actions in hit-and-run cases have raised concerns among drivers who now face the possibility of a 10-year jail term for fleeing and not reporting fatal accidents.
Under the previous legislation, drivers could be imprisoned for up to two years under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 304A (death by negligence). The protesting drivers are demanding the repeal of these new provisions, asserting that the stringent penalties are a threat to their livelihoods.
“Drivers consider the law one-sided and harsh. In case of an accident, if we stay, an angry mob could resort to damage the life and property. And, if we run, we would be subjected to harsh punishment,” a driver of an oil tanker was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times (HT).
Hit-and-run cases were earlier prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code and would attract imprisonment for a year, which could be extended up to two years, with a fine of more than Rs 1,000 or both. In extreme cases, the police could also report such matters under Section 302, which is related to murder.
