New Delhi: Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday ordered surprise checks at fuel stations across the country to detect any short-selling of petrol and diesel by petrol pump owners to consumers by tampering with the system in dispensing units.
“Instructions to this effect have been given to all concerned,” Mr Pradhan said at a press conference. Consumer interest, he added, is paramount and strict action will be taken against those found guilty of tampering with fuel calibration.
The minister said two officials of state-owned fuel retailers in UP have already been suspended following raids. “We have initiated action against respective field officers. The strictest possible action will be taken against guilty petrol pumps, including termination of licence,” he said.
Hoping for co-operation from all states as “weights and measures” is a state subject, he said, “Responsibility to ensure proper measurement lies with the state’s weights and measure departments, but as owners oil marketing companies also have to share the blame.”
The minister said that all fuel stations in Uttar Pradesh will be re-assessed by a team from the state government’s weight and measures department, civil supplies department, special task force and the oil marketing company.
Last week Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force had unearthed a racket of short delivery of fuel at petrol stations in Lucknow. These raids were carried out at 11 petrol pumps following specific information regarding tampering with fuel calibration by using electronic chips. Electronic chips were found at nine fuel stations, three of which belong to IOC and the other six to BPCL.
Meanwhile, Delhi state government’s food and civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Imran Hussain on Monday directed department of weights and measures to constitute teams in various parts of Delhi for ensuring that petrol pumps in the national capital are not using electronic chips to short sell petrol and diesel to consumers.
The minister directed the department to take stern legal action against the defaulting units, including lodging of FIR and sealing of petrol pumps. Mr Hussain also appealed to people to report any illegal activities in case it comes to their notice.
