Incidents of stealing petrol, diesel during transportation on rise
| Date :20-Mar-2019 |
Dealers suffer losses worth Rs 4 crore per month in Nagpur district n Business Bureau With the onset of summer season, the incidents of stealing petrol and diesel by anti-social elements during transportation has risen. This is bringing huge monthly financial losses to petroleum dealers in Vidarbha to the tune of Rs 9 crore including Rs 4 crore from Nagpur district. Three public sector oil companies--BPCL, IOCL and HPCL are supplying diesel and petrol to dealers. The incidents of stealing of petrol and diesel seems to be unabated. These thefts frequently take place in summer season between March 15 and June 15 taking the benefit of intense heat when the mercury oscillates between 35 and 46 degree Celsius. There are tankers with various capacities of 12,000, 20,000 and 24,000 litres used for transportation.
There are 4 to 5 compartments bearing capacity of 4 kl to 5 kl in each tanker. The company has designed two way locking system, one locking is done to interconnect compartments and another is to the box of gate valve which is connected for unloading the fuel. Companies always claim that the locking system is tamper proof. One key is in the custody of the dealer and the master key is in possession of company officer. It is alleged that anti-social elements had made duplicate key of the master key for stealing petrol or diesel when the tanker is on its way to reach the petrol pump from the oil company’s depot. Normally, the distance from oil company depot to petrol pump is somewhere between 5 and 10 km. Sources wondered how the anti-social elements had made duplicate master key when keys are in the custody of company’s officials. When a tanker of 12,000 litres is used, a dealer has to suffer losses of 200 litres.
Sources said that when a tanker is filled at the oil company depot, the petrol is filled under calibration of 40 litres assuming that petrol and diesel have quality to expand during summer season. The same tanker when it is on way to destination, anti-social elements in collusion with the driver open the lock of the tanker’s compartment and steal 70 to 80 litres. When the tanker reaches the petrol pump, it is unloaded. Normally, the tank of the petrol pump is never dry and always has sufficient stock of fuel to operate for 1-2 days. There is old method of measuring fuel with dip stick in the tanker before unloading process is completed. In all this process, the dealer has to suffer a loss of 200 litres of petrol i.e. approximately a financial loss of Rs 15,000. In Nagpur district, there are 245 petroleum dealers suffering loss of 1.5 lakh litres i.e. Rs 4 crore per month. In Vidarbha, there are 650 dealers who are facing losses of Rs 9 crore per month. Sources alleged, a Mafia is operating in theft of petrol and diesel during transportation. There are various incidents when dealers have caught drivers and anti-social red-handed stealing petrol and diesel. Cases of stealing petrol and diesel have been filed with the police. Such incidents have become a routine exercise.
A BPCL officer was also attacked by some anti-social elements when he tried to intervene during stealing of petrol. The stolen petrol is sold in the open market at cheaper rates that too by adulterating it. A site opposite CICR on Wardha Road, and many other hideouts have become a den to steal petrol from tankers and sell it in the open market, sources alleged. Some drivers who were indulging in stealing petrol and diesel from oil tankers have left their job after earning a lot in illegitimate business and now these drivers have their own tankers. In order to stop the menace of stealing petrol and control the Mafia, dealers have demand that oil companies should use digital locking system and lock should be tamper proof. They have also written to Petroleum Ministry.