Water found in petrol at HIMFED-run pump
New Delhi   08-Oct-2011

The presence of a large quantity of water in an IndianOil (IOC) petrol pump, which is being run by HIMFED, at Sarahan in the Pacchad constituency in Sirmaur district has put a question mark on the operations of HIMFED.

Though officials plead that the presence of water was due to improper design of the pump that had led to seepage of water from the ground, any attempt to adulterate petrol could not be ruled out.

It was learnt that around 183 litres of water was pumped out of this pump on October 5 during its cleaning after initial complaints. Earlier also, as much as 140 litres of water had been removed from the pump when similar complaints were received by HIMFED.

Officiating area manager BC Bhardwaj said he had sealed both intake hole and the dip rod hole so as to rule out any mischief from the staff concerned and added that the IOC had been informed that when the last 500 litres of petrol was left in the pump such high quantity of water started flowing out of the pump.

He said the IOC had been asked to get the pump cleaned before undertaking further activity as they were losing almost Rs 13,000 per tanker while earning a mere Rs 6,000.

Bhardwaj added that since ethanol-based petrol was being supplied form August it had the tendency of converting into water if it was adulterated with kerosene or diesel.

Therefore, it was being inquired now whether some adulteration had taken place while transporting the petrol or whether it was due to water seepage from the ground or if any other attempt was made to mix water and pilfer petrol.

With complaints of the local staff being extremely lax in managing this pump, officials were trying to ascertain how such large quantities of water had got collected in the pump.

It was interesting to note that even if water was added to the petrol during transit its impact appeared only when the last 500 litres of petrol remained in the pump, therefore, no immediate information of adulteration was available with HIMFED at the time of receiving supplies from the IOC.