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Marker system introduced to check fuel adulteration

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CHECKING ADULTERATION: The Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Murli Deora, and the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions and Parliamentry Affairs, Mr Suresh Pachouri, at the launch of the Marker System in the Capital on Wednesday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Oct 4

To check adulteration of petrol and diesel with subsidised kerosene, the Government has introduced a new marker system.

Unveiling the initiative on Wednesday, the Petroleum Minister, Mr Murli Deora, said that the marker would help detect adulteration through a simple test at the petrol station itself.

Under this system, used globally to prevent adulteration of transport fuels with kerosene, the marker (special permanent dye) turns pink when tested for adulteration.

It would be mixed with kerosene. If the blended kerosene were to be used as an adulterant in other fuel, it would be easily detected through a visual test procedure, using a special testing kit. The Petroleum Ministry has selected a British firm called Authentix to supply the marker.

"This new generation marker will help to ensure that subsidised kerosene, currently being diverted from the public distribution system (PDS), reaches the targeted below poverty line families," Mr Deora said.

Speaking to newspersons after the launch of the marker, Mr Sarthak Behuria, Chairman of IOC, said that the marker and testing kits together are expected to cost the State-owned oil companies Rs 160 crore over the next six months.

The cost of the marker liquid alone is Rs 1,500 a litre. In one kilolitre of kerosene, the oil companies would be blending 0.5 ml of marker.

Each test conducted for detection of adulteration would cost around Rs 60.

"Being easy to administer, the marked kerosene will be made available across the country through all retail outlets within two months," said Mr M.S. Srinivasan, Secretary (Petroleum).

Apart from introducing the marker system, the Ministry is planning to approach the Law Ministry for amending rules to make it mandatory to test fuels for adulteration.

Of the 10.5 million tonnes of kerosene consumed annually, the Government and the oil marketing companies together currently provide a subsidy of around Rs 16-17 per litre of kerosene sold to below poverty line families.

The marker system would help detect adulteration of kerosene in auto fuels and ensure that PDS kerosene reaches the targeted group.

In September 2005, an NCAER study had concluded that 38.6 per cent of PDS kerosene was being diverted for adulteration of petrol and diesel.

The reason is the huge price difference, said Mr Srinivasan, as a litre of kerosene costs just over Rs 9.

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