Beware! 20% petrol pumps in Gujarat are out to dupe you

For consumers already reeling under high petrol prices, here is some more bad news. According to state government, irregularities were found in close to 20% of the petrol pumps that were checked by authorities in last two years.

“Checks were conducted at 1,001 petrol pumps in the state from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011. Irregularities were detected in 193 fuel stations," said Narottam Patel, civil supplies minister in reply to an unstarred question by Congress MLA Bavku Undhad.

The minister said that 752 petrol pumps were checked once, 157 outlets two times, 59 others three times while a further 19 were scrutinised four times. One petrol pump was checked a dozen times, he said.

Patel said that irregularities were found at 26 petrol pumps of Ahmedabad district and at two outlets each in Ahmedabad city and Gandhinagar.

In other cities, irregularities were found at 13 fuel stations in Vadodara, 14 each in Kheda and Mehsana, 21 in Amreli, 27 in Panchmahals, five in Rajkot, and one petrol pump in Surat.

Patel also informed that these erring petrol pumps have been penalised. Goods worth Rs2.79 crore have been seized a further Rs4.08 lakh-worth goods were confiscated from these fuel stations.

“Under penal action, five licences have been suspended and four others have been revoked. Six cases were registered under PBM Act, while court cases were filed in three instances," added Patel.