On Tuesday, drivers in Punjab and Haryana formed long lines at fuel stations due to concerns that fuel supplies might deplete rapidly. This anxiety arose as truckers refrained from hitting the roads in protest against the more stringent penalties outlined in the new legislation addressing hit-and-run incidents.
In Haryana, private bus operators and some auto-rickshaw unions have also joined the protest against the new provision and some petrol pumps in Ambala reported a shortage of fuel. Chandigarh, the common capital of the twin states, too saw vehicle owners panic-buying fuel.
In accordance with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, poised to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, individuals responsible for significant road accidents resulting from negligent driving, who flee without reporting to the police or the administration, could potentially face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
On Monday, truckers in multiple states initiated a three-day protest opposing what they deemed as stringent provisions. By the second day of the agitation in Punjab, the escalating situation led the petroleum dealers association to urgently address a letter to the government, expressing concerns about the panic buying scenario at fuel stations, which was adversely impacting stock supplies.
Secretary general of the Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association Rajesh Kumar said there are nearly 4,000 petrol pumps in the state and fuel supply has been affected due to the agitation since Monday.
As the news spread that truck drivers were holding protests and have gone on strike, people rushed to fuel stations. We are also not getting replenishment of stocks due to the strike. As these drivers are holding protests, they are also not allowing oil tankers to enter depots to get fuel stocks, he alleged.
The new law is against the interest of drivers. Nobody intentionally wants to injure or cause anyone’s death, but accidents happen. In such cases, people turn against the driver and sometimes the mob damages the vehicle and causes harm to the driver too. We demand that the new law be amended, truck operator Sushil Kumar added.
In Ludhiana, the supply of goods has also been affected as truck drivers protested on highways, according to Pankaj Sharma, secretary of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking.