Birgunj, September 3:

Import and supply of petroleum products came to a halt after the Nepal Tanker Drivers’ Association went on an indefinite strike from today.

The tanker drivers are not ferrying in petroleum products from Raxaul of India or from the Sunauli checkpost.

They have gone on strike to protest the sacking of six tanker drivers by the Janakpur Petroleum Products Suppliers’ Association (JPPSA) in February.

Earlier, they were on a phasewise agitation to press for the reinstatement of the dismissed drivers.

Nepal Tanker Drivers’ Association president Binod Manandhar said the carriage and supply of petroleum products from India’s Raxaul depot, Bhairahawa’s Sunauli depot and Janakpur’s Amlekhgunj depot would remain stalled until their demands are met. Manandhar said the JPPSA dismissed drivers Jogi Yadav, Jagannath Thakur, Binod Das, Birendra Yadav, Kuldev Oraon and Laxman Sah, adding they would have to be reinstated if the JPPSA wanted supply services to resume.

He added that the drivers’ union had informed the Nepal Oil Corporation and the Home Ministry of the demand and had also warned of launching an agitation if the demand was not conceded.

Manandhar lamented that neither the NOC nor the ministry paid heed. Meanwhile, scores of tankers ferrying oil remained stuck at the Birgunj customs.