India: Limiting Fuel Dispenser Tampering
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Wednesday, 27 August 2008 |
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The latest electronic fuel dispensers installed at service stations
across India are not entirely tamper-proof and the computer
chip-controlled devices can be reprogrammed to cheat consumers,
according to one State Legal Metrology Department enforcers.
Law enforcers detected malpractices in fuel retail outlets by verifying whether the volume of the initial 5 units of fuel dispensed by a pump matched its meter reading. (Only this procedure has legal sanction).
Law breakers in the petroleum retail business cheated enforcers (and also consumers) by significantly reducing the outflow of fuel after the initial 5 units were delivered to the customer. They did this by tampering with the software of electronic pumps with the help of certain dubious technicians. The fraudulent practice has its origins in Mumbai and has spread to South India.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs feels the deceitful practice is widespread and is preparing to counter it by developing a software that would possibly help State Legal Metrology departments detect tampered electronic fuel dispensers.
Leading Legal Metrology experts in India met at the Fluid Control Research Institute in Palakkad district in early August to give inputs to those developing the software. Manufacturers of electronic fuel dispensers and representatives of oil companies attended the meeting. The software will be given to law enforcers in November.
Legal Metrology experts said that fuel pump gauges revolved faster at high voltages, recording faulty readings. Ideally, petroleum dealers should install voltage stabilizing equipment in their outlets.
Last year, as many as 299 pump owners in Kerala were found guilty of short selling fuel. This year (between April and June) 31 were fined on the same charge.
PetrolWorld 240808
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