KOLKATA: The oil tankers strike has been suspended for a fortnight following talks on Tuesday between the West Bengal Tankers Association and Transport Minister Subhash Chakravorty.

The association, however, has kept its options open on resuming the agitation if its demand of higher payment for transporting petroleum products, is not met with. For now, it will accept the existing rates. Mr. Chakravorty has sought the intervention of Union Petroleum Minister to resolve the issue.

General manager of Indian Oil Corporation and coordinator for the PSU oil companies Gautam Dutta told The Hindu that while it normally took about two days to normalise the situation after such disruption, the oil companies were ready to extend the working hours to ease the situation. In a day of rapid developments, IOC director, marketing, G.C. Daga and a team of oil company officials met the Chief Secretary. "Our director apprised the Chief Secretary of all aspects of the problem," Mr. Dutta said. It was difficult to raise the rate of Rs. 110 per kl, fixed by a tender committee, beyond the Rs. 122.67 per kl offered by the companies.

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