The Karnataka government has stepped up inspections at petrol pumps following complaints about possible measurement irregularities while selling petrol and diesel. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad said inspections carried out over the past week found discrepancies at a large number of outlets.
According to the minister, Karnataka has around 5,946 petrol pumps. Officials inspected 805 of them during the recent drive. Measurement discrepancies were found at 768 outlets, while cases were registered against 101 petrol pumps based on the violations detected during the inspections.
The scale of the findings has drawn attention because officials checked 3,071 petrol dispensing guns across the inspected outlets. Of these, 2,618 were reportedly found showing short measurement.
Rules allow a measurement variation of up to 0.5 percent under the applicable standards. However, officials found that some dispensing machines exceeded the permitted variation. Arshad said three petrol pumps recorded discrepancies of more than 10 millilitres.
The minister said the government plans to make petrol pump operators more accountable for regular checks. Owners will be advised to verify the measurement of dispensing guns every day so that irregularities can be identified quickly.
Consumers will also be given an opportunity to check measurements if they suspect that they have received less fuel than the quantity displayed on the machine. The government is expected to provide access to approved measuring equipment for such verification.
The department is also looking at other aspects of petrol pump operations. Officials will be instructed to ensure that outlets maintain proper cleanliness and provide basic facilities, including usable toilets for customers.
Another issue raised by Arshad concerns the central governments rules governing calibration of petrol dispensing equipment. He said the Karnataka government has objections to two recent notifications related to the calibration process.
According to the minister, calibration that was previously required every year has been changed to a two year cycle under the revised arrangement. Another notification reportedly allows private agencies to carry out calibration of petrol dispensing machines.
Arshad questioned how consumers could be assured of the reliability of certificates issued through private calibration arrangements. He expressed concern that petrol pump operators could potentially obtain certificates through agencies they are familiar with, raising questions about independent verification.
The Karnataka government does not agree with the two notifications, the minister said, adding that the state would write to the central government regarding its concerns.
The government is also encouraging consumers to remain alert while purchasing petrol and diesel. Customers who notice a possible problem with quantity, fuel quality, cleanliness or other services at a petrol pump can raise a complaint with the department.
Arshad has asked consumers to use the toll free number 18005991100 to report such complaints. The government expects public complaints to help officials identify outlets requiring further inspection.
The latest inspection drive comes as fuel consumers continue to depend on petrol pumps for regular vehicle use. Even a small measurement discrepancy can become significant when repeated over many transactions, making accurate dispensing an important consumer protection issue.
Officials are expected to continue inspections at more petrol pumps across Karnataka. The government has indicated that action will be taken where violations are established, while further checks will determine whether similar discrepancies exist at other outlets.
