New Delhi, May 9 (KNN) Towards providing a corruption free Uttar Pradesh, the new Government is taking some commendable steps.

Catching the rampant practice of shortchanging  by the fuel pumps of U P is one which caused widespread appreciation.

But so far not a single W&M Inspector or FSO has been taken to task for the rampant corruption in the fuel pumps, Why??

For the uninitiated, there are two empowered district level government officers to ensure availability of every item in right quality and quantity to the consumers; the Weights and Measures Inspector and the Food and Supply Officer.

But the question remains how the practice could continue so far and  what the officers responsible to ensure quantity and quality of purchases made by the consumers were doing?

Told to be prize postings, these officers of state cadre are authorised to draw sample, check weights and measures  of any dealer, starting from the small grocery shops to the big petrol pumps.

But have any one seen them taking samples from petrol pumps to check adulterations or measuring the fuel dispensed?? So, no prizes for guessing why these postings are considered to be prizes.

We all knew that fuel pumps regularly deliver less petrol diesel than what is paid for but could not do much as they always showed the meter.

Now it has come out that the pump owners and employees used ‘technology’ to cheat the consumer by manipulating the electronic measuring systems within the dispensers.

But what the enforcement machinery was doing till date?

Commenting on the situation, Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General FISME commented that either the officers are ignorant or compliant and in both cases they need to be taken to task.

To its full credit, the new Government machinery has caught the thief immediately after taking over and severely punished the errant pump owners, some even went to jail.

But what about the ignorant or compliant officers?? If they remain scot free and in same positions, no doubt the corrupt system will again have its heydays in near future.

With the new Government taking up cudgels against corruption from the first day, people expect that the entire manipulation chain will be punished, not only the front end traders.

And petrol / diesel being essential commodities, it is the duty of the ‘clean’ Government to punish everyone in the corruption value chain.

We hope someone is listening…. (KNN/ DB)