GUWAHATI:
The North East India Petroleum Dealers Association (NEIPDA) has opposed the decision of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) to roll out 10 per cent ethanol-blended motor spirit (EBMS) across the Northeast with a 100 per cent rollout in Guwahati. The petroleum dealers’ body said that the petrol pumps have not been automated before taking the decision.
“It is a false claim. The oil company has not done 100 per cent automation of the petrol pumps in Guwahati,” NEIPDA GGU (Greater Guwahati Unit) vice president Kabindra Oja and joint secretary Arun Goswami said in a statement here, on February 6.
Stating that blending of 10 per cent ethanol in petrol in India is a practice that is nearly two-decades old and has been implemented across the country, a IOCL spokesperson said that all the necessary steps such as ensuring nil water presence in petrol tanks and use of watertight gaskets in-tank manholes will be done in petrol pumps before the introduction of EBMS ensuring that no moisture is retained in the underground tanks.
The NEIPDA, however, feels that instead of automation of petrol pumps, the dealers have been forced to take EBMS without prior clearing of the underground tanks.
“The IOCL also made a statement that as automation was completed in all retail outlets and so if water seeps into the underground tanks, the petrol pump would be alerted as the system would immediately raise an alert for corrective action,” the statement read.
The association also urged the Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, Rameswar Teli to direct the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to comply with all guidelines with immediate effect by taking prompt action to discharge the preconditions of clearing the tanks of the retail outlets and making it not only free from water but also ensuring no further seepage to the tank for the safety of the customers.
The association further urged the Union minister to make the automation alert in all retail outlets completely and effectively functional so that all precautions may be taken to avert any untoward incident.
“Unless these norms are complied with, no dealer should be forced to take a load or sell EBMS which is detrimental to the safety of the consumers failing which the dealers may decide to allow their ROs to dry up and they shall refuse to sell EBMS and confide to the sale of HSD only,” the association said.