Tanker trucks transporting kerosene to 200 blocks would have to be immediately fitted with the global positioning system (GPS) to keep tab on their movement and “ensure that the trucks don’t get diverted enroute”.

Similarly, GPS will have to be installed immediately on company-owned tankers carrying petrol and diesel to retail outlets. Trucks that are hired on contract will have time until March 2007 to shift to the vehicle tracking system.

By May this year, the marketing companies will have to start a pilot project for testing a new marker in kerosene so that its mixing in diesel would leave visible traces. Similar markers in diesel and petrol were tried earlier but were neither found feasible nor cost-effective.

The OMCs have been instructed to strengthen vigilance and quality control cells to conduct more “surprise checks” rather than those of “routine nature”. Targets for surprise checks will be fixed each year where different squads will inspect and draw samples.

In order to bring about an element of impartiality, third parties of repute and non-government organisations would be permitted to draw samples in certain areas of the country.

This is also expected to lessen the burden on field officers who could only manage to collect a total of 1.3 lakh samples or a paltry 4-5 samples per outlet last year.

While advising continuation of stringent punitive action against errant dealers, the Ministry has suggested that the OMCs develop a performance-based incentive scheme for dealers “to encourage them not to resort to unfair means”.

... contd.