CSE for tighter laws to check fuel adulteration

new delhi: not enough is being done tocheck adulteration of fuel, says the centre for science and environment in itsstudy based on an independent assessment conducted in the national capitalregion. the study highlights the epidemic dimensions this problem has acquired— rampant fuel adulteration; its difficult detection and dilution in thepunishment for adulterers. test results: cse collected samples from 15 retailoutlets in delhi and 30 outlets in ncr. apart from these, they also collectedsamples from fuel tankers and depots between december 20, 2001, and january 18this year. according to the cse report, of the 72 samples tested at the societyfor petroleum laboratory, noida, the failure rate was 8.6 per cent. the reportwas submitted to the environment pollution (prevention and control) authority onfebruary 5. "till now oil companies and the government were claiming that thesample failure rate was between one and two per cent," cse air pollution controlunit''s anumita roychowdhury said while releasing the report on tuesday. "sfpldoes not take into consideration the supreme court order on one per centbenzene. when we reassessed the results, the failure rate of petrol samples wentup to 30 per cent and the overall failure rate was 26 per cent," cse directorsunita narain said. tests can''t detect adulteration: along with the 72 samples,cse sent three samples of diesel adulterated with 10, 15 and 20 per centkerosene to sfpl for testing. two of them were passed as they matched thespecifications laid down by the bureau of indian standards. the sample with 15per cent adulteration using kerosene failed the test. punishment for adulterersdiluted: despite widespread adulteration, the penal actions according to themarketing discipline guidelines of the oil industry were recently toned down,making the punishment for adulterers less severe. for example, while the mdg1998 had stipulated a fine of rs one lakh and suspension of sale and supplies ofall products for 45 days to a pump which was caught adulterating fuel, therecently adopted mdg 2001 now stipulates a fine of rs 20,000 and suspension ofsales for 30 days. what can be done: oil companies should be made accountablefor the quality of the fuel being sold from their retail outlets. "a company''sresponsibility ends as soon as a tanker leaves the oil depot. a consumer whogets adulterated fuel can sue either the pump owner or the transporter in whosetanker the fuel came to the outlet," narain said. she said retail outlets shouldbe rated on the basis of an independent inspection of the oil company''s fuelquality. "brand consciousness will help fight this menace," she said. the reportcalls for improved testing facilities and tighter fuel quality standards.