Many petrol pumps in Odisha are short-selling petrol and diesel by allegedly tampering with the system in dispensing units, Odisha Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told the State Assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to an unstarred question by BJD MLA Prasanta Behera, Nayak said in the House that as many as 24 cases were registered against some petrol pumps in the State for tampering with dispensing units to short-sell petrol and diesel in 2022-23. Fine of Rs 3,17,000 were collected from those petrol pumps during various raids.
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Similarly, fine of Rs 3,43,000 were collected and 22 cases were registered in this connection in 2021-22. In the previous financial year, as many as 37 cases were registered and fines of Rs 4,06,000 were collected in this connection.
As per Nayak, a total of 83 cases were registered against many petrol pumps in the last three years for the same reason. Moreover, a total fine of Rs 10,66,000 was collected from those pumps during the same period.
The Minister further informed that to stop cheating in dispensing fuel, the Quality Assurance Cell and Vigilance Wing are conducting sudden raids at the petrol pumps across the State at regular intervals. Fines are being collected and actions are taken against the petrol pumps which are found tampering with the system in dispensing units of fuel during the raids.