Against norms, diesel being sold on the sly
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, August 17
In clear violation of the Petroleum Act 1934 and the Indian explosive rules 1983, a petrol pump in Hoshiarpur is reported to have been selling diesel through a mobile dispenser to farmers and shopkeepers in the rural areas in its vicinity for the past few days.
Though the guidelines clearly specify that no retail sale of petroleum products can be done outside a registered premises having a valid licence issued by the Explosives Department and a no-objection certificate by the district administration, the filling station flouting the norms is supplying diesel through a 2,100-litre-capacity container to farmers, sweet shop owners and other wholesale consumers in the surrounding villages.
The dealer’s representative at Milan filling station at Gondpur village said that he had not broken any laws as according to Section 7 of the Petroleum Act, a licence is required only when one has to store petroleum products above 2,500 litres.
He said that though he was selling diesel by transporting it in a container of lesser capacity, he has been asked not to sell diesel above 1,000 litres to a single consumer by the company officials of Essar, the oil-marketing company.
“The company has planned this move to boost the sale of diesel in rural areas and I cannot sell diesel above 1,000 litres in a single transaction through this mobile bowser,” said the representative, refusing to reveal his name and designation when asked.
He claimed that no separate permission has been taken by the district administration for the retail sale of diesel through the mobile bowser.
Condemning the move and calling it a safety hazard, Monty Sehgal, president of the Punjab Petrol Pumps Dealers Association, said, “According to the guidelines, no one is allowed to store any petroleum product above 1,000 litres in an overhead tanker. For that, an underground tank with multiple safety valves is required on the registered premises. Also, there is a complete ban on the sale of petroleum products during transportation.”
He has demanded the registration of a criminal case against the company officials and the owner of the filling station.
