Jajpur: The Paradip-Daitary express highway has become a haven for smuggled petrol and diesel in the district.
Two stretches between Chandikhole Chhak to Olasuni and Aruha Chhak to Kabatabandha on the highway are choice areas for oil mafia. Roadside dhaba owners, cabins selling betel and tea, makeshift eatery joints and truck repair shops along these two stretches are all part of the illegal trade as they look to make a quick buck.
Tankers carrying fuel from the Paradip oil refinery stop at these dhabas, cabins, stalls and food joints where they pilfer the fuel. Later, they sell the pilfered fuel at half price to local oil mafia.
Drivers and cleaners of trucks, dhaba owners, repair shops owners and tea and betel shop stall owners and the oil syndicate are all involved in the trade. On the other hand, several vehicle owners purchase the fuel from them at a lower price in order to save cash.
A litre of stolen petrol is sold for Rs 45-50, while it costs nearly Rs 74 at licensed filling stations. Likewise, a litre of stolen diesel is sold for Rs 35-40 compared to Rs 63 at licensed pumps, sources said.
"If we get petrol at lower price, why we will pay more at licensed pumps," said Pradeep from Balichandrapur, who owns a motorcycle. He added that the fuel available in the open market was on par with the licensed fuel bunks.
Oil tankers ferrying petrol and diesel for Jajpur and other districts are the prime targets. They stop at the eateries at Charinangal, Olasuni, Balichandrapur, Nanpur, Aruha, Chadheidhra, Baulamala and Kabatabandha along the express highway at night. Around 50 to 100 litres is siphoned off clandestinely from each tanker. It is estimated that around 50,000 litres fuel are pilfered from these tankers a month, but no case is registered with police.
Although some pump owners monitor their tanker's movement via GPS, the trade continues to flourish.
When contacted, Balichandrapur police station inspector-in-charge R.K. Tripathy said: "We have not received any formal complaint in this connection."
He said action would be taken if any complaint was lodged with them.
