CPCB,DPCC labs not equipped to detect fuel impurity, NGT told

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which was directed by National Green Tribunal to check adulteration of petrol and diesel at petrol pumps across Delhi-NCR, has told the green panel that the laboratories of CPCB, DPCC are not equipped to detect impurity of these fuels.
The Petroleum Ministry told a bench headed by Justice M S Nambiar that on February 1 a meeting was called by Joint Secretary (Marketing) of the Ministry which was attended by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
"In the meeting representatives of DPCC and CPCB have informed that existing laboratories of their organisations are not equipped to detect adulteration of petrol and diesel with reference to kerosene and naptha. Subsequently, DPCC has conveyed to their organisation that their organisation does not have technical infrastructure.

"CPCB has also informed that CPCB HQ and its field officers do not have the facilities to analyse fuel samples (Diesel and Petrol) with respect to detection of naptha and kerosene adulteration in petrol and diesel," the ministry said in an affidavit filed before the bench.
It further said that since the existing labs of CPCB and DPCC are not equipped to detect adulteration of petrol and diesel with reference to Kerosene and Naptha, the Ministry has requested Environment Ministry to identify third party labs which are capable to detect such contents.
The Tribunal, after taking into account the submissions, has directed that the testing of fuels would now be done by National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi and Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun.

The matter is fixed for next hearing on March 9.
The Tribunal had earlier constituted a committee comprising officials from CPCB, Ministry of Petroleum and Gas and concerned state pollution control boards to conduct joint inspection at any 10 petrol pumps and analyse fuel samples in the laboratory of the state and Central Pollution Control Board.
The directions came while hearing a plea filed by Delhi resident Cherub Singla seeking directions to inspect the fuel quality at petrol pumps across the country, especially in cities facing acute air pollution.