KATHMANDU, Nov 13: A team of Nepal Bureau of Standards & Metrology (NBSM) on Sunday sealed Bangalamukhi Oil Store of Sano Bharyang, Kathmandu, after finding that the pump was dispensing less fuel than the volume for which customers pay.
Upon inspection, the team found that the fuel station was supplying less fuel to consumers by tempering with its fuel dispenser. The operator could reduce or increase the volume of fuel dispensed by simply flipping on and off the nozzle, according to a member of the inspection team.
The team comprised of market inspectors from NBSM and the Regional Office of Standards and Metrology, Kathmandu. Rakesh Jha, chief of Regional Officer of Standards and Metrology, Kathmandu, led the team. It inspected five petrol pumps on the day. Of them, Bangalamukhi Oil Store was found tampering with its fuel dispenser. Other petrol pumps inspected on the day include Sajha Petrol Pump of Swayambhu, Hama Oil Stores of Swayambhu, Tri Shakti Oil Store of Sanepa, and Jayanti Oil Store of Tripureshwar.
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“As an immediate action, we have sealed Bangalamukhi Oil Store. NBSM will conduct further investigation and take needful action the pump as per Nepal Standard Measurement and Weight Act, 1968,” Jha told Republica.
According to Jha, the pump was dispensing 160 ml less fuel per five liters.
Earlier also, inspection team had found the pump dispensing 30-35 ml less per five kilometers. But the NBSM had ‘considered it negligible’.
“After Sunday’s inspection, we have decided to inspect all petrol pumps in Kathmandu Valley,” Jha said,
Bishwo Babu Pudasaini, director general of NBSM, told Republica that the NBSM and its units had inspected some pumps earlier, following complaints from consumers. “But we hadn’t found any suspicious activity then,” he added.
NBSM and its units started inspecting petrol pumps few days before Dashain festival. It has also conducted such inspections at petrol pumps in Bara, Makawanpur, Chitwan and Parsa. It had found three pumps in Bara cheating consumers by tempering with their dispensers.
“We have already initiated process to file a case against those three pumps in Bara,” Pudasaini said, adding that the bureau will take action against such wrongdoing pumps.
