KOCHI: Fuel tankers will go on indefinite strike from Monday onwards in protest against the move of oil companies and the tax department to levy GST share from lorry owners. Fuel supply to all public sector oil companies except Indian Oil will be disrupted. More than half of the pumps in the state will be affected. Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum supply 60 per cent of the fuel in the state. In the event of a strike, fuel shortages will occur within two days.

The strike is against the tax department for sending notices to tanker lorry owners demanding to pay 13 per cent out of the 18 per cent GST in 2015-17. In 2016, the country faced severe fuel shortages during an 11-day strike over fuel supply.

The company has paid 18 per cent of GST on load of 450 lorries contracted with Indian Oil Corporation. The lorries were exempted from tax by giving a consignment note for each load. Strike committee convener AM David called on the other two companies to follow this.

There are 1100 tanker lorries in Kerala. Of these, 650 tankers carrying fuel from Bharat and Hindustan companies will be on strike.

'This is a legal issue. It is hoped that the oil companies will intervene and end the strike soon', said R. Sabrinath,Federation of All India Petroleum Dealers.

'I have negotiated with the oil companies but they are not ready to solve the problem. ', said M. David, Convener Petroleum Products Transporters Welfare Association.