Truckers' strike disrupts fuel supply, govt assures debate on new law

New Delhi: Fuel supply in several states in North India was hit on Tuesday after some truck, bus and tanker drivers went on a strike demanding the withdrawal of the new law on hit-and-run cases that proposes a stringent 10 years jail term and Rs 7 lakh fine for such offences.

There was however no impact on capital city Bengaluru or on Karnataka, sources said.

Truckers' body All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) said the government has assured that new laws concerning hit-and-run cases will be implemented after discussion with its members and urged truck drivers to call off their strike.

A government source said that the issue has been resolved after the meeting with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday evening.

The source said the new provisions under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) have not been implemented yet.

The truck and tanker operators began a three-day strike on Monday against the stringent jail and fine regulations. The punishment in such cases was 2 years in the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC).

About 2,000 petrol pumps, mostly in western and northern India, ran out of fuel stocks due to the strike.

While 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.

Laws to curb rising mishaps?

The number of road accidents in India went up by an alarming 12% to over 4.6 lakh in 2022, resulting in the death of 19 persons every hour, according to a recent report by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

The report showed that 53 road accidents take place every hour in the country. (PTI)