Cheating, corruption and scams are not new to our city, yet, in every case, it is the customers and ordinary citizens who bear the brunt of this…
From getting less LPG in the cylinder to being cheated at fuel pumps, we see it all and yet, very little is done at a macro level to remedy this.
In a much needed move, a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) was filed in the Supreme Court, challenging the increasing fraudulent activities at petrol pumps, stating that’ petrol pumps across country cheat customers by giving fuel less than the quantity paid for’.
According to reports, Advocate Amit Sahni in his PIL said that, “By the new methods of cheating, the culprits change the programme in the ICs (Integrated Circuits) placed in the dispensers by tampering with the pulsar cards, motherboards, control cards and keypads to ensure dispensing of lesser fuel from the dispenser to the customers.
In certain cases, the pulse board of the fuel dispenser was rigged using a microchip so that lesser amount of fuel will be delivered to the customers than what is displayed.”
In the wake of similar complaints being raised by Pune citizens, Pune365 spoke to several informed citizens on this alleged concern and its factuality.
“The issue of robbing the customers by petrol pump owners and their staff have been highlighted multiple times. In the wake of this however, sudden inspections and stern scrutiny has been ordered by the petroleum ministry themselves. Unfortunately, corruption finds its way in every area in India,” quotes a city-based automobile dealer, Shakil.
Several people actually do not know their vehicle’s mileage, or even how much fuel should be received for the money paid and hence they become the victims.
It is important for people to be aware of what they are getting and then voice their protest when they face any unjust service. This is the only way to highlight and resolve the increasing menace and corruption in the city,” Shakil suggests.
The PIL also suggested steps like using transparent hosepipes for vending fuel and installation of labelled transparent dispensers along with the vending machines so that the ‘quantity of fuel paid, first fills in the dispenser and then is dispensed into the vehicle.’
“The suggested measures in the PIL is actually very practical to adopt. One cannot actually see what and how much is going into the tank. Purely judging based on instinct can be tough,” shares Pritesh Kumar, a biking enthusiast and a corporate employee.
“Knowing your vehicle well helps. Keeping a check on how many kilometres travelled in a certain amount of fuel, checking in the tank if the same mark is reached or not and being aware of the mileage average of the vehicle helps to keep a tap when in doubt.
But, there is hardly anything you can do once you have left the fuel station.
Hence, being alert and paying attention while refuelling is important. Sometime the employees try stunts to distract you and earn the extra money,” Pritesh shares.
Sharing her experience, Ankita Mishra, blogger and writer says, “I encountered this a couple of weeks ago when the petrol pump worker duped me by filling less petrol, which I realised later that day.
It was my father who noticed that the amount of fuel filled was less. I noticed how the man was quick in filling the petrol but the level in my bike gauge didn’t hit the normal mark for the amount of money I filled.
Although I did check the zero mark before he filled, I can’t figure how he managed to do this in broad daylight. Arguing with him a day later was useless, but I am more cautious now.”
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#All views expressed are those of the individual respondents and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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