MUMBAI, JULY 19: A customer-company interface organised today by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the first of its kind in the country, was dominated by the issue of adulteration of petroleum products. The contact programme was attended by various transport associations and members of the public.Dealers, transporters and consumers were unanimous in deriding oil companies for adulteration of petrol and diesel. But IOC officals claimed that they were only responsible for the fuel supplied at the time of filling of the tankers. They urged the complainants to use boards put up by the company at all petrol pumps which detailed various tests to find out if the fuel is adulterated. ``No other industry gives you the facility to test its product. It is up to you to use them,'' said Arun Jyoti, General Manager IOC, Maharashtra.According to the company officals, the standards applied to the transport industry were the same as those applied while supplying fuel to aircraft. They added that a difference of 0.4 per cent in the density of petrol would result in the rejection of the load. But members of the Tanks Lorries Association disputed this observation and claimed that the officers in charge of the testing were non-cooperative. Jyati promised to look into the matter.The queries ranged from technical aspects like the problems created by difference in temperature which led to shortage in the quantity of fuel supplied to the demand for insurance cover for the products in transit. ``Shortages are meant to be avoided and also adjusted by the company in a month. But this does not happen,'' complained Raghbir Singh Gill, president of Federation of Bombay Motor Transport Operators.The objective of the meeting was not only to get feedback from the consumers but also to inform them of various initiatives by the company to provide a petrol pump with additional amenities.
