The Legal Metrology Department and Oil Industry officials in the State are not on the same page over approvals for usage of fuel dispensing machines in the capital.
The department on Sunday had seized 40 fuel dispensing machines from 10 fuel stations in the capital, claiming that the machines used were not approved by it.
All the 10 fuel stations were closed by the authorities and sales have been prohibited since then.
“The dispensing machines were models equipped with remote controls and seized as they did not obtain our approvals. Cases were booked under Sections 22 of Legal Metrology Act and we have also written to the Director, Legal Metrology in Delhi to enquire,” said S. Gopal Reddy, Controller of Legal Metrology.
However, the State level Co-ordinator for Oil Industry for Andhra Pradesh S. Hari Prasad, who met Mr. Reddy on Monday, claimed that the dispensing machines did have approvals by the Government of India and the Director, Legal Metrology, Delhi.
“Fuel dispensing machines are installed at fuel stations only after getting government approvals. We will be submitting all the approval copies to the Legal Metrology Department for any clarification and seek permission to permit sales at the fuel stations,” said Mr. Hari Prasad.
The owners of the ten fuel filling stations in the meantime held a press conference and appealed to the oil companies to “fix the problem” and allow them to sell the fuel.
Dispensing machines are installed by oil companies and fuel station owners operate them only after the Legal Metrology Department approves them.
“We are shocked over the department’s claim of these not being approved,” said Rajiv Amaram, general secretary of Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers.
“Remotes are used only to change the fuel price whenever there is a price revision and it does not aid in any kind of tampering or deviation in fuel delivery. We appeal to the authorities to fix the problem as it is a livelihood issue for all of us,” he added.
