Measures accurate ?at city petrol pumps ?

Here's some good news: the government says rigging of petrol pumps is rare in Bengaluru.

Sarala Nair, assistant controller (technical) and headquarters assistant, legal metrology department, says, "We check all weights and measures including the equipment at petrol pumps. We also do an annual verification and stamping of all weights and measures."

The department also goes on surprise checks. "We have 10 squads in Karnataka and three in the city. Our officers check at least two or three pumps a day," she says.

The department has not come across any cases of tampering in the last three years. "There are many levels of inspection. The checks are also done by the oil companies and a third party," Sarala explains.

Dealers have to maintain a register of the daily density of petrol, diesel, and stocks.

Overall, against petrol pumps, the department has booked 442 cases in 2015-16 and 318 in 2016-17. The number went up to 410 in 2017-18. These are for offences such as short delivery of petrol (see box on how you are conned), not displaying verification certificate, not presenting equipment for verification and stamping within the due date.

Filter paper test at four pumps

Metrolife visited four petrol pumps in the city and did a reality check to assess the purity of petrol.
We used the filter paper test: pouring some drops on a sheet to see whether it evaporates completely. If the petrol leaves a residue, it is adulterated.

FUEL STATIONS WE CHECKED

Palace Guttahalli.
Bamboo Bazaar near HKBK College .
Opp Elements Mall on Thanisandra Road.
Bagalur Road near Delhi Public School (North).

How you can be conned

A senior official says petrol delivery boys make a fast buck with a common trick.
In his words:
1. Suppose a customer asks for petrol for Rs 1,000. The boy first pours petrol for Rs 400
and stops, citing an error.
2. He then proceeds from where he stopped. Instead of starting from zero, he stops at Rs
600. In addition to Rs 400 already poured, he will pour petrol for an additional Rs 200.
3. He tells the customer he has poured petrol for Rs 1,000 (Rs 400 plus Rs 600) when he has actually poured it only for Rs 600.
4. He makes a quick Rs 400 in less than five minutes from just one customer. "We want customers to report such cases to us," said the legal metrology department official.

Complaints?

Customers can call the legal metrology officer-in-charge displayed at every petrol
pump.
E-mail to [e-mail].

Consumer's right to ask

The consumer can check the purity of the petrol by asking the petrol pump for a filter paper test.
The customer can ask for the correctness of the pump using a measure available with the dealer or get one from the legal metrology department.

Penalty

The punishment for short weighing is a spot fine of Rs 1,000. In case the petrol dispensing machine is rigged, a case is filed in the jurisdictional court. The minimum fine for rigging is Rs 50,000.