Fuel adulteration goes unchecked

hyderabad: though 800 cases have beenfiled against fuel stations in the state between april 1, 2001, and march 31,2002, by the legal metrology department, including cases for short deliveriesand non-stamping of petrol pumps and cylindrical measures, the department hasnot been able to file many cases relating to adulteration. only 10 cases ofadulteration have been booked in joint inspections conducted by the legalmetrology and civil supplies departments and another 15 cases by oil companiesagainst fuel stations over the last one year. according to legal metrologydepartment controller aruna bahuguna, though 600 samples have been collected andalmost 400 sent to the state forensic laboratory, as they were suspected to beadulterated, none of them tested positive for adulteration. this is because mostof the adulteration is done by adding petrol-based adulterants like ethanol tofuel. hence, it is difficult to detect adulteration, she said. the departmentneeds mobile equipment for testing of adulteration at petrol stations, saidbahuguna. tip-offs about raids also result in collection of pure samples, sheadded. the department has asked the government to provide it with mobile testingunits. another reason why adulteration cannot be detected easily is because thedensity of hydrocarbons that are used like industrial thinner, special boilingpoint mixer and hexane have the same density of petrol. hence density testsconducted by the department cannot find adulteration, said legal metrologydepartment deputy controller b ram kumar. he said the introduction of anon-reversible totaliser to measure the quantity of fuel disposed of by a pumpis a big step towards reducing adulteration. incidentally, ap is the only stateto enforce the introduction of these totalisers in accordance with thecentre’s order. the department has booked cases against fuel stations forselling engine oil at a price above the maximum retail price and for shortdeliveries, he added.