BP campaign to supply clean fuel

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI, AUG. 12. The Bharat Petroleum (BP) today launched a campaign to check adulteration of fuel titled ``Pure for Sure'' whereby the company would certify pumps which dispense clean fuel.

The campaign is designed to put pressure on outlets by certifying some. This would push car and truck users to opt for the ``Pure for Sure'' outlets and bring in demand that others, which are suspect of selling contaminated fuel, to behave, officials of the Bharat Petroleum say. The certification is being done by TUV Suddeutschland, a reputed global agency with headquarters in Germany.

``With this programme, adulteration and meter tampering will be virtually impossible. Supply of petrol and diesel through tamper- proof tankers, surprise checks and even keeping an eye on the octane-number and supervising the density of the fuel would be done,'' say BP officials.

An official told The Hindu: ``We are the only oil company to push for this clean fuel campaign. Those who pass the stringent quality tests will be happy since buyers would gravitate there. Those who do not will have to change their ways''.

To start with, after pilot trials at Mumbai, Coimbatore, Meerut and Panipat, 98 pumps dispensing Bharat Petroleum fuel were given the logo - an out-turned palm with the thumb and first finger making a circle - after due certification.

The campaign was launched officially here by the Petroleum Minister, Mr. Ram Naik, at an outlet in his parliamentary constituency. The other 97 pumps are situated in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore.

The Phase II of the campaign would be to certify 300 pumps in 28 cities and later, 400 dealers would get it certification in another 50 cities and towns by February 2002.

``Cancer of adulteration in petrol has taken root in our system,'' says Mr. Naik. Naptha and other solvents are available for as low as Rs. 15 a litre and for pumps, this is an invitation to make a fast buck. ``Now, the customer will get value for his money,'' he said.

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