‘Our dept. strictly following directions of Div Com Kashmir; Do not conduct verification at any DC pumps in the valley’ Says Legal Metrology officer Baramulla
KNB News Desk
Baramulla 5 May (KNB): Despite expired registration, Deputy Commissioner approved petrol pump (DC Pump) located at Warpora on Sopore-Bandipora road is still functional and surprisingly as a retail outlet.
Reliable sources told news agency Kashmir News Bureau that the DC approved pump is being supplied petrol in abundance despite the fact that it’s registration has expired several months ago.
“It’s storage registration file is stuck up at the office, since the matter regarding these DC approved pumps across Kashmir (allegedly involved in unauthorized sale of petroleum products through dispensing units) is still going on in the court,” sources said, adding, that the same is the reason it’s registration cannot be renewed until the matter is resolved.
“But shockingly, authorities have turned blind eye to the fact that this DC point in particular (DC pump located at Warpora)– despite having it’s registration expired more than Four (4) months ago—is still being supplied petroleum and at the same time, is openly selling it to regular customers through dispensers,” the source said.
It is concerning that Class A petroleum—which is highly inflammable and requires certain infrastructure to be stored safely—is being supplied in bulk to the DC Pump, which clearly goes against the Petroleum rules.
When it comes to DC pumps, the approval is for selling petroleum through barrels but not through dispensers to regular customers like a proper petrol pump, which is the case in this one. The DC pump is supposed to be selling class B petroleum.
Regarding the same Kashmir News Bureau spoke to A Class petrol Pump, supplier of petroleum to alleged illegal pumps, who is suffering through Covid-19.
Once an official order comes out, stating that DC pumps should not be supplied petroleum, “we will immediately stop”, he said.
He said that even if the concerned DC issues an order to stop supplying petroleum to this DC pump, we would straight away cut off our supplies to it.
Furthermore, he said, “Once my health gets better, I’ll look into this matter and if I find anything faulty, I will be the one to say to the concerned officials that I’ll not provide any supply to the DC Point.”
But, as per rules, ‘A’ class petrol pump cannot supply petroleum to a DC pump (which is authorized for B-class petroleum) and if it does, it has to be through a ‘nosal’.
However, according to the locals of the area, tankers have been unloaded at the said DC pump which is an utter violator of the rules under the nose of authority.
Kashmir News Bureau spoke to an official of the Legal Metrology department, who said that since the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir order, which stated that inspectors of Legal Metrology will not calibrate these dispensing units that are installed at these DC pumps. “Since then we have not calibrated it,” he added.
“Our department is strictly following the directions of the worthy Div Comm, hence we don’t do any verification of any DC pumps (DC points) throughout the valley,” he emphasized.
Moreover, sometime ago ADC Sopore—on basis of a complaint against the DC Pump—had asked the concerned Tehsildar to submit a report at the office.
Afterwards, Naib Tehsildar and Pathwari along with a team (as per sources, 8 member team) went to the DC Pump to take the details for the report.
During the visit, as per sources, the owner of the DC Pump failed to produce any reliable documents.
He asked the team to give him a days time to submit his documents at the office, sources said.
The owner of the DC pump, the other day, visited the office and submitted expired documents (registered back in 2016), sources revealed.
To know more about the matter, Kashmir News Bureau contacted Naib Tehsildar, Dangerpora, who said that the report has not been forwarded to the concerned official yet. After Eid the report will be submitted, he assured.
Regarding the matter, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla told Kashmir News Bureau that he will look into the matter. He said, “forward me the file of this issue, and I’ll look into it.” (KNB)