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Two oil pumps found guilty of tampering
Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology has barred two petrol pumps based in Kathmandu, Maitidevi Oil Stores and Chuchhepati Oil Stores, from conducting their business after they were found tampering the official seal imposed on fuel dispensers of the gasoline stations.Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology has barred two petrol pumps based in Kathmandu, Maitidevi Oil Stores and Chuchhepati Oil Stores, from conducting their business after they were found tampering the official seal imposed on fuel dispensers of the gasoline stations.
According to the bureau, the petrol pumps were found to have tampered the official seals of the department and instead used counterfeit ones in the sensors of the fuel dispensers. Bishwo Babu Pudasaini, the bureau’s executive director, said the department sealed the gasoline stations on charge of offense against the government rule.
The department found the flaws in the refilling devices during its cross inspection of the petrol pumps a few days ago. The department, which is authorised to regulate the measuring devices, fixes the official seals in six units including the sensor and adjustor, among others, used in the system.
According to Pudasaini, they took action against the petrol pumps after the firms were proven to be guilty following the lab test. “On suspicion of selling the short amount to the consumers, we have barred the petrol pumps from continuing their business,” he said.
Both the gasoline stations under scrutiny by the bureau of standards are owned by Chaturbhuj Sariya, one of the working committee members of Nepal Petroleum Dealers’ Association. Pudasaini said the department would file a case against Sariya after fulfilling the legal procedures.
Few months ago, the regulatory office cracked down on a number of gasoline stations operating across the country, after a number of them were found to be using software to cheat their customers. Bijay Oil Store, Shankar Oil Store and Amit Oil Store of Bara, Mamata Oil Store of Kalaiya, and Swasthani Oil Store of Bariyapur, Shankar Oil Store of Rupandehi, Riyal Oil Suppliers of Kapilvastu, Khusbu Fuel Suppliers of Okhaldhunga and New Banglamukhi Oil Store of Swayambhu, Kathmandu were among the sellers grilled by the department.
The petrol pumps swindling customers were fined Rs 30,000 with imprisonment of up to three years by the bureau. Pudasaini said a number of these pumps sought hearing at the Appellate Court to review their jail terms.