Petrol pump ‘adding’ water to fuel, DFSC says no complaint received

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 10

Chaos prevailed at a petrol pump owned by the family of former Municipal Corporation (MC) Mayor where residents raised allegations over mixing of  water in petrol. The workers at the petrol pump, owned by first Mayor of the city Vishnu Sharma, claimed the issue occurred due to moisture in the air which they said has been reported to the company.

Residents who had turned up at the petrol pump alleged that the petrol pump owners were mixing water, along with the petrol and cheating the customers. Some of them demanded due action against the owners for the lapse.

A customer at the site alleged that the workers switched the machine on to fill petrol in his vehicle but the machine poured over 60 per cent of water. The people gathered in large numbers and collected the sample in a bottle, the video of which was being widely circulated.

Meanwhile, Bhushan Sharma, who works at the petrol pump, said there was an issue with the fuel dispenser. He said, “Moisture had collected here due to incessant rain throughout the week. The machine sucked the water along with the petrol which was poured in a few vehicles. We have raised the matter with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited already and shut the particular machine down.”

He added that only a few people were raising the hue and cry regarding the matter. The issue was not found in any other fuel dispenser.

Harsharanjeet Singh, Patiala District Food Supplies Controller (DFSC), said his office did not receive any complaint regarding adding water to petrol at the pump. He said. “We will look into the matter when we receive a complaint. Also inspection is done regularly at all petrol pumps.”