A “revolutionary” marker launched two years ago to detect even minute mixing of subsidised kerosene in higher-priced diesel and petrol — the most common method of adulteration — has failed with pump owners finding the perfect chemical to wash the dye: Natural clay.

In October 2006, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora rolled out a project of dyeing kerosene with a non-removable marker imported from Authentix of the UK, saying it would bring “an end” to the adulteration of auto fuel. Annual cost: Rs 160 crore.

But this week, officials from the three state-run oil marketing companies (OMC) told Deora’s ministry that tests conducted at their labs showed that “Authentix Marker can be laundered”.

“As per the findings, at a dosage of 1 percent, the powder removed the Authentix Marker. At a dosage of 2 percent, the powder removed the blue colour of the PDS kerosene,” says the paper jointly submitted by the three OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies): Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.

The powder, tested separately by their labs in September, was provided by IOC’s Vigilance Department. According to lab officials, the brown powder is “a naturally occurring clay with 80 percent silica and remaining being inorganic salts”.

Authentix Director (International) Tim Wilkinson had claimed at the launch that the marker cannot be tampered with. But audit results between February 2007 and March 2008 showed most retail outlets were escaping the test.

After trial runs until February 2007 and the introduction of the adulterant marker thereafter, inspection of 184,889 outlets detected kerosene-mixing at only 204 pumps, a strike rate of 0.1 percent, with 242 tank trucks failing the test, again a strike rate of 0.1 percent. Aware of the Authentix Marker’s failure, the Ministry directed the OMCs on March 5 this year “to make efforts to identify alternative marker suppliers by conduct of appropriate field trials”.

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