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Elimination of fuel-oil adulteration Need stressed for integrated approach

PESHAWAR: A one-day roundtable conference on 'Fuel and Oil Adulteration in NWFP' on Wednesday stressed for adoption of an integrated approach by all the stake-holders to eliminate this menace.

The conference which was arranged by German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) under the Pak-German Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Urban Industrial Environment Protection (UIEP) programme, also disclosed that about 41 percent of Gasoline, 36 percent Regular, 50 percent Super and 38 percent of Premier Plus supplied in NWFP markets are adulterated and substandard.

Similarly, 60 percent of the lubricating oils provided in the markets do not meet Pakistan Standard Institute (PSI) standards for various grades of lubricating oil.

The aim of the conference was to share the finding of a study undertaken in a pilot project 'Combating motor fuel and Lubricating Oil Adulteration in NWFP' of GTZ in EPA-UIEP programme with the objectives of determining the current motor fuel and lubricating oil quality in NWFP, identify key players in motor fuel and lubricating oil adulteration and to develop a strategy for the supply of quality petroleum products and the control of adulteration.

In the conference, representatives of the concerned sections of fuel-oil business like petroleum dealers association, PSO, Shell, Caltex, Attock Refinery, petroleum cartage and traders association, traffic police, transporters, environment protection organisations were invited and were informed about the findings of the study.

The conference consisted of two sessions in which presentations on the findings of the study were given to the participants.

An indepth discussion over the issue formed some recommendations which related to increase in commission of petroleum dealers at the ratio of retailers 6 percent dealers 4 percent, establishment of monitoring task force, which should be an independent body, anti adulteration draft act should be framed and enacted, government should show some aggressiveness on this issue, public awareness about the adulteration and concerned departments for complaint over it, establishment of consumers rights committee, company own transportation for distribution of oil and proper checking and curbing of fuel-oil smuggling from Iran. APP