Oil PSU Officers' Strike...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[(Reuters) A large number of petrol pumps across the country went dry as the indefinite strike by oil PSU executives entered the third day today, with possibility of a major fuel supply crisis looming large. About two-third of the 425 petrol pumps in the national capital did not open because of lack of stocks, while 60 per cent outlets in Mumbai hung 'No Stock' signs boards. Mumbai also ran out of compressed natural gas (CNG) that runs some two lakh buses, taxis and autos but Delhi had enough CNG and piped natural gas stocks to last 7 to 10 days. While Hindustan Petroleum pumps across the country were operating normally, Bharat Petroleum senior management officials were ensuring that there were dispatches of petrol and diesel to the company's outlets. However, Indian Oil, the nation's largest retailer, had almost nil dispatches of products. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora late yesterday evening drove to Noida on the outskirts of the national capital, to meet the striking Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) leaders but the talks to resolve the imbroglio failed. The president of the Oil Sector Officials Association, Amit Kumar, said Friday that the &quot;talks are inconclusive but the action is on. The (Oil Minister) has said he will apprise the prime minister of our demands.&quot; OSOA kept harping on Government conceding on its demand for higher increase in their wages than those approved in November but Deora said he did not have powers to approve anything that would also have ramifications on other PSUs. &quot;Some discussion took place, but we could not reach any conclusion,&quot; Chairman of India Oil Corp S. Behruia told reporters after a two-hour meeting between India Oil Minister Murli Deora and representatives of the oil workers. &quot;But the door is open for further discussions,&quot; he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already appointed a committee of ministers headed by Home Minister P. Chidambaram to look into their demands within 30 days. At the airports, absence of officers led to delay in refuelling of airplanes and some flight were delayed. Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) Chairman R.S. Sharma failed to convince his company officials to resume gas production from the country's largest field in Western Offshore, affecting power generation and fertilizer production. Crude oil production from Mumbai offshore was almost half at 1,80,000 barrels and four key refineries of Indian Oil operated at 25 to 30 per cent of their capacity. About 30 per cent of gasoline stations in the capital, New Delhi, had run out of fuel, Petroleum Secretary R.S. Pandey said Thursday, while oil firms said there would be graver shortages if the strike continued. Pandey said about 100 fuel stations in Mumbai, the financial hub, were not functioning, while officials at Mumbai airport said dozens of flights were delayed due to the strike. (Agencies)