Cylinder deliveries may be affected

With cooking gas delivery persons attached to many agencies unable to reach their places of work with police insisting on e-passes, supplies to consumers were likely to be hit.

A delivery boy from Kakkalur working in an agency near Poonamalee High Road said he had not reported for work for two days now. “Since buses and trains are not available, I commute on a friend's two-wheeler. But on Friday, I was stopped by the police at two points and told to go back since I did not have an e-pass. They threatened to impound the vehicle. I was afraid and so I called my owner and told him I won’t be reporting for duty,” he said.

Distributors said that the Government Order clearly stated that gas delivery personnel did not require e-passes. Their uniform, valid ID cards and an authorisation letter from the respective oil marketing company was enough. “However, our people are not being allowed to travel from Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram to Chennai. Each district follows a different set of rules. But the site just takes all our documents and details and our requests are kept pending,” said a distributor.

Discussions held

Oil industry sources said they had raised the issue with the government and the police. However, despite various orders, the situation on the ground was extremely difficult.

An industry source said that they were in touch with the respective departments and the police. “Even today, the Director-General of Police has given a direction saying those involved in essential services can use their official ID cards,” the official said.