Imphal, July 4: The Manipur government is considering using central paramilitary forces like the Assam Rifles and the BSF — which are deployed in the state to tackle insurgency and guard the border — to help combat a different “enemy” — fuel adulterating rackets that mix kerosene with petrol and diesel.

In fact, fuel adulteration is a serious “menace” in Manipur and a lucrative business. Gangs in collusion with tanker drivers mix kerosene with petrol and diesel for a profit.

To combat this, the government is contemplating a multi-pronged strategy, including the use of central police organisations in addition to state police forces.

“We are planning to allow fuel tankers into Imphal only after testing the purity of the petrol or diesel. To do this we will take help from the Assam Rifles, BSF and state police,” consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Moirangthem Oken Singh told the Assembly today.

The minister was responding to a call-attention motion raised by Trinamul Congress legislator I. Ibohalbi Singh.

Kerosene is a controlled item. Manipur gets a monthly quota of 2.12 lakh kilolitres of kerosene. A major portion of this quota is sold in the black market from where the racketeers procure it.

Oken said henceforth only 20 kilolitres of kerosene would be kept in stock for emergency purposes and the rest would be distributed as soon as the monthly quota came.

The government would also set up a parking lot on the outskirts of the city for all fuel tankers in order to check if kerosene is leaking from them and to curb adulteration.

The plan is to allow the tankers to go directly to the IOC’s depot in Imphal from the parking lot after testing the purity of the fuel at selected spots.

“We will put the plan into action after getting approval from the state cabinet,” the minister said.

Oken admitted that surprise checks and warnings to gas stations were not enough to check this “menace”. He said at least 3 per cent of petrol being sold at retail outlets was kerosene.

The move came after vehicle owners alleging that a city gas station had filled diesel mixed with water into their vehicles lodged a complaint last month.

The pump explained that a leak in the storage led to inflow of water into the underground diesel tank. The IOC’s Imphal office issued strong instructions to all the pumps in the state to carry out tests of their fuel stock before sales start everyday.