After Malegaon’s additional collector Yashwant Sonawane was killed by the oil adulteration mafia last week, the police have been cracking down on culprits across the state.
After Malegaon’s additional collector Yashwant Sonawane was killed by the oil adulteration mafia last week, the police have been cracking down on culprits across the state. But Leena Mehendale, a former bureaucrat who had filed a detailed report on fuel adulteration in the state as far back as 1995-96, said that while the crackdown is necessary, it is not sufficient.
“But I am hopeful the chief minister will do something to curb the oil mafia,” said Mehendale, who was the Nashik divisional commissioner when she prepared the report. Manmad and Malegaon are part of the Nashik division. More than 15 years and seven chief ministerial changes later, the measures suggested by Mehendale to check the mafia have not been implemented.
Apart from taking strict action against the people who attacked Sonawane, Mehendale feels that that police should probe deeper.
“Most of the time, the police arrest only the local footmen and not the main people who run the racket,” she said. According to Mehendale, the government should learn a lesson from this incident and take long-term measures. “The government should have set up a cell in Mantralaya for officers to submit reports on oil adulteration rackets. The cell could have done proper follow-ups instead of dumping the reports. The cell could comprise revenue, food and supply, and police officials. The cases should be sent to fast-track courts,” said Mehendale.
She added: “It is important that inspecting officers get the right to file a case against the dealer in the court. Or they should submit all documents and samples collected from dealers to the police for investigation.” She added that the government’s move to use a chemical marker to check kerosene diversion will work, as no car or bike owner will test the fuel to find if it is adulterated. “Once the government catches the big fish, the problem will be solved,” she said.
She also suggested that government officers should get upgraded training. “We have to boost officers’ morale. After the chief secretary’s assurance immediate action will be taken on officers’ reports on such incidents, I am hopeful that we can tackle the problem. If there is political will, we can easily curb the racket.”
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