[Nosmas]

It may be good news for consumers that the Tamil Nadu surface transport federation (TNSTF), a Chennaibased association, has decided to withdraw from the lorry strike after meeting chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday, but domestic gas cylinder supply may get hit in the coming days as the south Indian bulk LPG tanker owners have extended support to the strike. “Though we had announced that the indefinite strike would start from August 18 midnight, lorry owners across south India have stopped transporting goods. In all, 26 lakh lorries in all the southern states will keep off the roads,” G.R. Shanmugappa, president, all India motor transport co-ngress (AIMTC) said.

“The chief minister has agreed to look into our demands and, hence, we have decided to operate lorries, tippers, sand lorries. But, the government has to provide protection to us,“ TNSTF president Sugumar said.

TN lorry owners' federation president Nallathambi and Mr Shanmugappa said, “They have a few thousand lorries. You would feel the real impact only on Friday morning.“ But the worrying fact is that according to south Indian bulk LPG tanker owners president Ponnambalam, “About 4,100 LPG tankers would not ply from Friday which would result in short supply of LPG cylinders.“