FOLLOWING COMPLAINT MADE TO FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES MINISTER, TEAM CRACKS DOWN UNAUTHORIZED FUELLING OF BUSES

Bathinda/Chandigarh, August 9, 2018: Following a complaint received regarding illegal transference of fuel from Bathinda to Sri Muktsar Sahib areas, the Minister for Food Supplies Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu ordered crack down on the nexus wherein huge amount of fuel was being supplied clandestinely from Gidderbaha area of Sri Muktsar Sahib to fuel station in Bathinda.

Acting on the orders of Minister Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Director Food Supplies Mrs Anindita Mitra, team headed by Assistant Director Food Supplies Punjab Mr Rakesh Kumar Singla, District Food Supplies Controller Bathinda Mr Amanpreet Singh Virk, Assistant Food Supply Officer Bathinda Mr Praveen Gupta, food supplies inspector Mr Harbhajan Singh and weights and measures inspector Mr Mandeep Singh Singh cracked down on the illegal business.

Divulging information in this context, Mr Rakesh Kumar Singla stated that Minister Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu had received complaint alleging that fuel tankers were being loaded from Satpal Traders Fuelling Station in Gidderbaha and further sent to fuel stations in Bathinda. Following the tip off, the team today stationed itself outside the Satpal Traders Fuel Station at Gidderbaha since 1 am. At around 6 am, the tanker number PB 30 L 3178 started being filled. It took 90 minutes for the tanker of 4000 Liters of capacity to be filled. Also another tanker number PB 30 N 7478 was filled from the same fuelling station.

Thereafter, both the tankers left for Bathinda with the food supplies team secretly following it. The tanker number PB 30 L 3178 reached the fuel pump and bus parking shed of New Deep Bus Company on Bathinda-Mansa Road opposite Hyundai Car Showroom. However, the tanker number PB 30 N 7478 left for Balluana. At the Bathinda-Mansa Road the team caught red handed while illegally fuelling buses of New Deep Bus Service.

DFSC Bathinda Mr Amanpreet Singh Virk added that daily the tanker number PB 30 L 3178 used to fuel buses of New Deep Bus Service stationed on Bathinda Mansa Road. Meanwhile, the tanker number PB 30 N 7478 used to fuel mobile buses of New Deep Bus Service that moved on different routes.

Mr Virk said that the Satpal Traders Gidderbaha have violated the norms of Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply and Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order 2005 that does not allow sale of petroleum products other than at the authorized points of sale. The tankers have also violated Petroleum Act 1934 and Petroleum Rule 2002 for endangering lives of public with unauthorized movement of petroleum products.

Meanwhile, till filing of this report, Civil Lines police was to register case against owner of New Deep Bus Service, owner of premises of New Deep Bus Service in Bathinda-Mansa road and driver of tanker number PB 30 L 3178.