Govt going soft on fuel mafia, allege dealers in Pune

The Petrol Dealers’ Association, Pune, has accused the Pune district administration of turning a blind eye to the chronic problem of pilferage of petrol at the Loni terminal, around 20 km from Pune. It houses the depots of the three state oil companies, where over 500 tankers are refilled daily.

The association has repeatedly alleged that the owners of around 350 petrol pumps in the city are losing nearly Rs20 lakh per day on account of the rampant pilferage of fuel.

This issue has taken a serious turn following the brutal murder of additional district collector of Malegaon, Yashwant Sonawane, who was burnt to death by the kerosene mafia in Manmad region of Nashik district on Tuesday, when he reportedly tried to stop pilferage.

In August last, the association had threatened to launch an indefinite stir on the issue, after which the Pune district administration had set up a 10-member vigilance panel comprising district officials, police personnel, representatives from oil companies and association functionaries.

“The saddest part is that the vigilance committee has not done anything to curb this malpractice so far. Not a single raid was carried out by the panel. The district administration was supposed to providing identity cards to the members of the panel so that the raids could be carried out. But we have not received any cards so far,” said the spokesperson of the association and a member of the panel, Ali Daruwalla.

According to the association, when the tankers come out of the Loni terminal after refilling, the mafia swings into action and starts collecting petrol in jars and other containers. “This is being done despite the fact that the tankers are locked. Either they have duplicate keys or have some mechanism to pilfer petrol. This takes place just outside the terminal or at Shewalwadi octroi post,” Daruwalla said.

The association demanded that stringent laws should be made to deal with such elements. “Conducting sporadic raids will not serve the purpose. A severe crackdown on the mafia is necessary so that pilferage of petrol stops once and for all. Or else honest officers like Yashwant Sonawane would continue to die,” an association member said.

Pune divisional commissioner Dilip Band told DNA that there was a need to go all out against such elements. “That would be the only befitting tribute to Sonawane,” he said.