While public sector oil marketing companies have been given time till the end of the month to rectify the glaring errors at their respective fuel filling stations, the Legal Metrology Department is mulling measures to ensure customers are not cheated.
Remote controls and passwords used to operate the dispensing units would now remain only with Legal Metrology officials and those of the OMCs, senior officials of the department said. The dealers will neither have a say in the operation of the remotes nor will they have access to the passwords. The proposal would take shape once the Central government has approved models of the machines, they said.
“Dispensing units, which can operate through remote controls, will also have passwords. Even if these machines get final approvals, the passwords will remain with the Legal Metrology officials,” senior department officials revealed.
He said that once a decision was taken by the Central Government on the fate of the machines, steps would be taken to strictly ensure that dealers do not tamper with them.
“I have given strict instructions on the sealing of dispensing units, which must be done in the presence of the (oil) companies, dealers and Legal Metrology officials,” asserted S. Gopal Reddy, Controller of Legal Metrology, Andhra Pradesh.
He added that petrol pump owners would now be booked on the second offence.
“Also, if the fuel dispensing machines are approved, then petrol pumps owners/managements will have to maintain records as to how many times, or when, the remotes and passwords were used. That will clearly point out violations,” the official said.
By using remote controls, the operator of the fuel dispensing pumps could change the price, density and speed of fuel delivery, the official explained. The consumers would not receiving the correct quantity for the amount paid by them, he pointed out.
