New Delhi: Within hours of going on an indefinite strike, officers of public sector oil companies today called off their agitation, the government agreed on a higher interim relief in lieu of delays in revising their wages.

“We had talks with the Petroleum Minister Murli Deora this morning and he has agreed on higher interim relief for the period from January 1, 2007, when wage revision was due,” Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) coordinator R P Srivastava told.

About 45,000 officers in state oil firms including Indian Oil, Oil and Natural Gas Corp, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, began their indefinite strike to press for merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance with basic pay, release of ad-hoc payment and withdrawal of tax on perquisites like company-provided accommodation.

However, the strike was called off within four hours.The strike had threatened to cripple aviation refuelling and refinery operations, oil and gas production and auto fuel as well as domestic cooking gas supplies.

Sanjay Goel, president of officers union in ONGC, said the Petroleum Ministry had accepted their demand for giving an interim relief of Rs 60,000-1, 20,000 per employee.

The Petroleum Ministry had declared the strike illegal as various High Courts had refrained the officers from taking such an action. Besides being liable of contempt of court, the officers also faced severe disciplinary action.

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