Report in Dawn, May 13th, 2017
MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir has taken strong exception to alleged overpricing by petrol pumps in different parts of the state and has directed the divisional and district administration officials to provide relief to consumers in this regard.
The attention of the chief secretary’s office was drawn towards alleged overpricing by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), after its team found that consumers were being overcharged from 80ps to Rs2.8 per litre.
Sources told Dawn that in April this year, Poonch deputy commissioner Raja Tahir Mumtaz wrote to Ogra about petrol pumps of different oil marketing companies that were allegedly involved in overcharging and dispensing substandard and inaccurate quantities of products to commuters.
Mr Mumtaz had also requested Ogra to depute a team to inspect and take action, according to the applicable law and rules, against the defaulting filling stations.
On his suggestion, a team from Ogra visited around 16 petrol pumps in Rawalakot, Khaigalla, Hajira, Abbaspur and Bagh, being supplied fuel by up to eight oil marketing companies.
These petrol pumps were inspected with respect to price, quantity and quality, but the main observation remained focused on price, as the dealers of the oil marketing companies were found to be charging more than the notified price, Ogra’s executive director (enforcement) Sohail Ahmed Tariq informed the chief secretary in a letter, a copy of which has been obtained by Dawn.
Mr Tariq further wrote that Ogra’s team had initiated a legal course of action against the oil marketing companies by issuing show cause notices to them. These companies would be penalised as per applicable law and rules, he added.
Mr Tariq informed the chief secretary that Ogra had “advised” the companies to ensure adherence to the notified price by their respective dealers in AJK.
However, he also requested the chief secretary to ensure strict enforcement of the notified price throughout the district administration and take strict action against the non-compliant dealers.
Sources said that after the Ogra official’s letter, the chief secretary had directed all divisional and deputy commissioners to ensure that consumers in their respective areas were not charged more than the notified price.https://www.dawn.com/news/1332740/ajk-divisional-district-officials-told-to-prevent-overcharging-by-petrol-pumps
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