Strike at IOC plant in Udayamperoor; LPG supply to six districts disrupted

KOCHI: The supply of LPG to six districts has been disrupted after loading workers at the Udayamperoor IOC bottling plant are on a strike. The reason for the strike is the delay in giving this month's salary and the reduction in the existing salary.

The plant in Udayamperoor is the largest LPG bottling plant in the state. Contract workers fill LPG cylinders at the plant and load them into lorries. The workers started the strike from Thursday morning. In addition to Ernakulam, more than 150 lorries that were supposed to go with gas cylinders to Thrissur, Idukki, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam are lying outside the plant.

The protestors have also seized bullet tankers carrying LPG to the plants in Cheleri in Kozhikode, Parippally in Kollam and Mangalore. It is reported that IOC authorities are holding talks with the protestors. If the strike continues, delivery of cooking gas cylinders to homes will be stalled.