E-Paper
Indian Oil, Chandigarh petrol pump to pay ₹5,000 for overcharging
The Indian Oil petrol pump in Chandigarh’s Sector 33 had filled a diesel car, having 48-litre fuel tank capacity, with 51.5 litres of fuel
Charging a customer for 51.47 litres of diesel for a car with only 48-litre fuel capacity has cost the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and its petrol pump in Sector 33-B dear.
Terming them guilty of unfair trade practice, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed them to pay ₹5,000 as compensation to the complainant, Aryan Jajma, of Preet Nagar, Zirakpur.
In his complaint, Jajma had alleged that in January 2020, he had visited the Sector-33 petrol pump to get his Maruti Vitara Brezza refuelled.
Much to his astonishment, the fuel machine showed 51.47 litres of diesel had been filled, while his car’s fuel capacity was only 48 litres and it already had around 10 litres of diesel in it.
When Jajma sought to see the automation record, he was turned down, following which he filed a complaint with the petrol pump. But it was also not addressed, prompting him to move court.
In their response, the petrol pump officials said the fuel capacity mentioned by the car manufacturer was just the safe filing limit and not the actual capacity, which was usually at least 15-20% higher, allowing the tank to hold a few extra litres.
The commission observed that as per the car manual, the fuel tank had extra space for fuel expansion in hot weather. Besides, the car already had some fuel in it to reach the filling station and yet the petrol pump filled 51.47 litres of diesel. “It clearly establishes that either the petrol pump’s fuel filling system or the machine malfunctioned and the complainant was wrongly made to pay in excess,” it said.
“The opposition parties failed to render proper services to the complainant. Therefore, deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practice are proved, which certainly caused financial loss and harassment to the complainant,” the commission said in its order and directed them to pay ₹5,000 as compensation.
