Rajahmundry: People filling the fuel tank of their vehicles need to be careful as some fuel dealers are tampering the fuel dispensers by fixing a code to short deliver the fuel in East Godavari. The legal metrology authorities have detected a case recently at Z. Ragampeta village of Gandepalli mandal. An IOC fuel bunk dealer tampered the fuel dispenser by fixing a code to deliver fuel.
Two nozzles meant to supply petrol on one and diesel on another are short delivering the fuel. For a total quantum of 10 litres of fuel, nearly 475 ml was short delivered which is beyond permissible limit of only 50 ml. Based on a tip off, legal metrology regional deputy controller B. Ram Kumar and East Godavari legal metrology assistant controller M.N.S. Madhuri and other officials inspected it. They sent a decoy with a plastic can to fill 10 litres. Later, they checked the fuel in a 10-litre measure and found shortage of fuel to the extent of 475 ml.
The authorities have booked a case against the IOC dealer under Section 80/36 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and a detailed inquiry is underway. If the charges are proved that the fuel dispenser is deliberately tampered to dupe the customers, the dealer is liable for penalty ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Upon close inspection of the tampered fuel dispenser, the legal metrology authorities found that a code was fixed to it to operate it. If the dealer intends to dupe the customer, he will operate the dispenser by using the code.
Otherwise, he will operate the dispenser without using the code and at that time, the dispenser will deliver fuel correctly. This means, if a customer wants fuel in bulk quantity, the dealer may operate dispenser based on code.
Earlier, minister for civil supplies Prathipati Pulla Rao found a similar case at a fuel station in Vijayawada as the dealer used code to operate the dispenser. Some dealers are using the ‘chip’ to tamper the fuel dispenser. EG legal metrology assistant controller M.N.S. Madhuri said, “We have booked a case against the IOC dealer. We appeal to the people to insist on delivering fuel in a 5 ml capacity check measure if they are suspicious about accuracy of fuel delivery at a fuel station before they fill the fuel tank of vehicles. The dealer is bound to do so. Else, people can complain. If the dealer fails to do so, people can complain and initiate action against erring dealers.”
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i) As per the norms of legal metrology, 50 ml short delivery of fuel is permitted for 10 lt and 20 ml for five litres.
ii) As the fuel prices are being revised every day, using tampered fuel dispenser either by a code or a chip to short deliver fuel will help save a lot of fuel to the dealer in a day and make fuel business more lucrative.
iii) As there are hundreds of fuel stations located, unless they are thoroughly checked, it is not known how many dispensers are tampered to short deliver fuel.
