Oil tankers call off indefinite strike

Oil tanker operators in Telangana today called off their indefinite strike just hours after launch of the stir following the state government's assurance to recall imposition of 14.5 per cent VAT on transportation of the fuel. Around 3,000 trucks carrying petroleum products were kept off roads since Sunday midnight after strike call by the truckers' association, Telangana State Petroleum Tank Trucks Owners Association claimed. The president of the association, K Rajashekhar Reddy, said the state government has assured them that the VAT will be rolled back. "All 3,000 tankers and trucks participated in the strike today. We had discussions with the government officials. They assured us that the VAT will be rolled back and hence, we are calling off the strike," Reddy told PTI. Earlier in the morning, many petrol bunks in Hyderabad witnessed panic buying from consumers due to fear of shortage of petrol and diesel following the strike. Reddy said that no state in the country has imposed such tax on petroleum goods transportation.