7 gas stations shut down

7 gas stations shut down

TANGERANG: Banten Trade, Industrial Cooperatives
Agency and Meteorology Center has shut down the operations of
seven gas stations that allegedly tampered with their meters.

Agency head Sartono revealed on Thursday that four of the gas
stations were located in Tangerang, two in the provincial capital
of Serang and one in Cilegon municipality.
The gas stations have been accused of installing meters that
record a higher output than was actually pumped into the gas
tanks.
"The gas stations applied unfair measures in selling fuel by
far exceeding the standard set for divergence between the amount
pumped out and that recorded on the meter, causing losses to
consumers," he said.

He referred to Law No. 2/1981 on meteorology, which stipulates
the tolerable variance between the flow of gas and the reading on
the meter is no more than 0.2 percent fuel for every 100 liters.

"We found that at the seven gas stations consumers were
getting about 5 percent less fuel than they had actually paid
for," he added.

The agency has closed the seven gas stations until they comply
with the standards set by state oil and gas company Pertamina.

Sartono said the agency controlled at least 112 gas stations
across Banten province.

"We only have 17 officers who inspect the gas stations every
six months," he added. -- JP