Beware of fuel theft at petrol pumps | The Navhind Times
Posted by: nt
May 18, 2017
in Goa News
NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Complying with the order issued by the Union Ministry of Petroleum, the state government has constituted teams in both the districts to conduct surprise checks at petrol pumps to check the alleged stealing of fuel in every liter dispensed to customers.
The Special Task Force (STF) in Uttar Pradesh had conducted raids and discovered alleged stealing of 50ml of fuel on every litre dispensed to customers following which the Union Ministry of Petroleum had asked state governments to conduct surprise checks on all petrol stations and submit reports to civil supplies department.
The North Goa inspection team has started a drive against fuel dealers to ensure that vehicle owners are not short-supplied. It conducted surprise check at Gauri petrol pump at Porvorim on Wednesday but could not find any irregularity.
The team has alerted the consumers against fuel theft and advised to ask petrol pump staffers not to press the nozzle button while the petrol is being filled as this can slow down the flow of the fuel.
It is advised that one should station their vehicles at a short distance from the machine in order to let the pipe suspend evenly to ensure better flow.
While filling fuel ensure that the quoted amount is not a round figure that is Rs 500, Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000. There is a fair chance that the fuel stations would tweak the machines according to such figures. Buying fuel for Rs 575 or Rs 1,575 makes it difficult for the staffers to cheat customers.
Some petrol pump operators in UP were allegedly tampering with the circuit of the dispensing machine and pulser assembly of the nozzle by inserting electronic chip in the petrol dispensing machine. Pulsers are sensors connected to the flow meter to measure rotation of a flow meter shaft. As fuel is dispensed causing the shaft to rotate, the pulser generates a pulse train. Each pulse represents a known volume of fuel passing through the meter.
The five-member team headed by executive magistrate comprises of assistant controller of legal metrology, civil supplies inspector, police inspector and representative from the oil company and it will every week inspect at least two petrol stations making brisk business and initiate action against those found tampering with the dispensing units. There are 133 petrol stations in the state of which 30 are making brisk sales.
It has been observed that in the team, only the legal meteorology official holds technical knowledge to check malpractices. Other members have to rely on their observations. However, the official raised doubts over success of the drives due to lack of knowledge and training.