Lok Sabha Question No. 118 (STARRED), answered on 2019-11-25
Subject: Sale of Adulterated Fuel
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Pratima Mondal

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 118 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  NOVEMBER, 2019

## Sale of Adulterated Fuel

118. SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL:

पैट्रोल ियम और प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the problem of adulteration of fuel and sale of the said adulterated fuel and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to restrict/end the said problem; and
- (b) the number of cases/complaints lodged during the last five years and the current year in this regard?

## A N S W E R

पैट्रोल ियम और प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री )श्री धमेंद्र प्रधान)

## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) & (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 118 BY SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  25 TH NOVEMBER  2019  REGARDING  'SALE  OF ADULTERATED FUEL'

- (a) Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have informed that action is taken as per Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) and Dealership agreement against retail outlet dealers where cases of adulteration are established as per the  provisions  of  Marketing  Discipline  Guidelines  and  Dealership  Agreement subsisting  between  RO  dealer  and  OMC.  The  Central  Government  has  also issued the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and  Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005  under  Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which provides for punitive action against malpractices such  as  adulteration  of  petroleum  products.  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs) have a system of monitoring and surveillance at the Retail Outlets.  Important initiatives taken by OMCs in this regard include:-
- (i) Filter Paper, Calibrated Density Equipment (Hydrometer/Thermometer)  &  5  Liter  Calibrated  Measure  are  made available  at  the  Retail  Outlets  for  checking  quality  &  quantity  of MS/HSD.
- (ii) Regular  /  Surprise  inspections  are  carried  out  at  Retail  Outlets  by OMC  Field Officers/ Senior Officers/Mobile labs throughout the country.
- (iii) A  separate  Quality  Assurance  Cell  (QAC)  has  been  created  for carrying out inspections.
- (iv) Samples are drawn from petrol pumps at random and sent for testing to authorized laboratories.
- (v) Tankers are being sealed before leaving company premises to protect against pilferage/adulteration en-route.
- (vi) GPS  have  been  installed  to  monitor  movement  of  Tank  Trucks carrying MS / HSD.
- (vii) Third Party Audit of Retail Outlet is being done by OMCs for effective monitoring and benchmarking.
- (viii) Automation  of  Retail  Outlets  has  been  undertaken  by  OMCs  which enable  the  real-time  capture  of  sales  transaction  and  monitoring  of tank stocks and receipts.
- (b) OMCs have received 5605 complaints regarding product quality issues/adulteration at retail outlets during the last five years and current year (April- September, 2019). In established cases of adulteration of petrol/diesel, OMCs have terminated 72 dealerships in same period .

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