Telangana: Fuel outlets flout rule, allow petrol in bottles

HYDERABAD: Ten months ago, a veterinary doctor was gang-raped, murdered and later her body was set on fire by four youth using petrol, bought from a fuel bunk in a bottle on the Bengaluru Highway. Even before the gory incident faded from public memory, fuel outlets in the city are back to their old ways, selling fuel in bottles, violating Telangana Petroleum Products (Licensing and Regulations of Supplies) Order.
Just prior to the vet incident, authorities had ordered fuel outlets not to sell petrol/diesel loose after a sub-registrar was burnt alive in her own office at Abdullapurmet.
A TOI reporter-photographer team went to at least six petrol pumps in Basheerbagh, Raj Bhavan Road, Tank Bund, Himayatnagar and Banjara Hills to buy petrol in a bottle. Of them, just two outlets refused to sell loose petrol.
“After the sub-registrar and Disha incidents, police had instructed us not to sell loose petrol. It is impossible to enforce the order in the city,” said Ashok Naredi, a member of Telangana Petroleum Dealers’ Association.
“Customers create nuisance if pumps refuse them petrol in plastic bottles. At most petrol pumps, one can see ‘no mask, no fuel’ board. However, over 30% customers do not wear masks. If the staff refuse fuel, the customers argue,” Ashok added.
“The department doesn’t have the manpower to inspect all pumps. If we receive any complaint, we will book them. As customers themselves ask for loose petrol, we don’t receive any complaints,” a civil supplies official said.
The official said, as per rules, petrol pumps should put up a board informing citizen about the ban, but only a handful follow it.