Haryana imposes ESMA on oil PSU execs

The Haryana government imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the state, for six months, in view of the fuel crisis looming large due to the oil PSU officers' strike.

The Haryana government on Friday imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the state, for six months, in view of the fuel crisis looming large due to the oil PSU officers' strike.

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Haryana Governor AR Kidwai issued a notification imposing the provisions of the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1974, "prohibiting the strike by all the officers under the employment of public sector oil companies of the Government of India".

The order would remain in force for six months, state Chief Secretary Dharam Vir said here. The order has been issued as the strike was "adversely affecting the functioning of essential services necessary for the residents of Haryana."

Meanwhile, majority of the petrol filling stations in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh had gone dry, with "no petrol, no diesel" sign boards being put up at the outlets.

There were very long queues of motorists at few petrol pumps, mainly belonging to Hindustan Petroleum (HP), whose officers have not gone on strike, had some stock with them.

HP Petrol pumps had also exhausted their stock at several places on lack of fresh supplies.