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Kathmandu Monday May 14, 2001 Jestha 01, 2058.
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Petrol pumps accused of adulteration
By Gopal Devkota
BIRGUNJ, May 13 - Of the nearly two dozens of
petrol pumps selling petroleum products in Birgunj, about one and a half dozens of them do
not sell pure petroleum products.
Despite this situation, the quality of
petroleum products has not been tested by the government agencies over the last 15 months.
Samples of petroleum products from five local
petrol pumps were sent to RONAST by the local administration for testing after people
raised hue and cry and some users formally complained about fuel adulteration about 15
months ago. However, the office has not made public the report received from the RONAST.
Dr Bharat Prasad Basyal of the RONAST sent
the report of the lab test after about two months. His report consists mainly of technical
jargons and even the employees in the District Administration are unable to understand the
report.
Administrative Officer Suresh Adhikari said
if the petroleum product was adulterated it would have been mentioned clearly in the
report. If it is not mentioned, it means perhaps it is not adulterated.
After this testing, the district
administration office has not sent any sample of petroleum products for lab testing,Market
Inspector Coordinator of the District Administration Office Krishna Prasad Dahal said.
Fifteen months ago Mahesh Gautam of Birgunj-6
had complained to the district Administration Office that there was problem in his
motorcycle after he started it, but his complaint was not heard.
Now a legal practitioner, Prahlad Gautam, is
also suffering from the same problem. He told The Kathmandu Post, " I go to Hetauda
once or twice a week in connection with pleading cases, but I always experience problem in
my motorcycle on the way. Why don’t you journalists write about such problems?’
A jeep of Parsa DDC was taken to the mechanic
after it started malfunctioning. After examining the vehicle, the mechanic said this was
due to the consumption of adulterated fuel and it would now cost Rs 200,000 to set it
right.
Parsa DDC member Rajesh Tiwari said ,"
This is the complaint of every transport owner. But what can we do if those responsible
for inspection and taking action are keeping mum?" He alleged that local district
administration does not check petrol due to the commission received from adulterators.
However, an employee of the administration said technicians
of RONAST were to be suspected because every time the samples were sent for examination,
they always certified that it was pure. Another employee said if the examination is
delayed the result will not be correct. The technicians delay the examination in
complicity with such petrol pump owners. To avoid this complicity between the technicians
and petrol pump owners, there must be four or five testing facilities, he added.
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