Lucknow: Petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh went on a flash strike on Tuesday in protest against crackdown by a special task force which found several of them using a chip-based device to dispense less fuel.
Indian Oil Corp. Ltd is planning to cancel licences of petrol pumps found using the device to dupe consumers, people familiar with the matter said.
A number of petrol pumps, including one owned by the Uttar Pradesh petrol pump dealers’ association president B.N. Shukla, were sealed in Lucknow.
Some petrol pumps in the state capital, however, reopened on Tuesday after the intervention of district officials. A huge rush of motorists was seen at these petrol pumps.
“The Yogi Adityanath government will not come under any pressure. The police action is justified and it was in favour of consumers,” UP minister Suresh Khanna told reporters. “The association members are likely to meet the chief minister soon and we expect the deadlock to end,” he said.
The STF started the raids on April 27. STF officials said the device helped petrol pumps rake in profit worth Rs 14 lakh per month.
The chip, costing Rs 3,000, reduced quantity of fuel dispensed by 5-10 per cent. It is attached with a wire linked to a remote control to set the limit.
If a person buys one litre of fuel, the person would get only 940 ml or even less.
