Chennai: The Union Government will not effect a cut in subsidies for kerosene supplied through public distribution system outlets, to curb the adulteration of petroleum products, Murli Deora, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, said on Monday.

Though one of the biggest reasons for petroleum adulteration was the big difference in the prices of subsidised and non-subsidised kerosene, subsidies would have to continue, he said in reply to a request by a representative of the Petroleum Dealers Association that the Government increase the price of all products used for adulteration.

Mr. Deora was speaking at the concluding session of a national seminar on `Curbing Adulteration of Petroleum Products' organised by the Centre for Consumer Education, Research, Teaching, Training and Testing (CONCERT).

The Government was according top priority to curbing petroleum adulteration and funds would be made available for this purpose, he later told reporters. Also, steps would be taken to curb misuse of kerosene supplied through the PDS outlets. The Centre was considering a proposal to introduce a smartcard for families living below the poverty line, though some States were not in favour of it, he added.

Mr. Deora said the findings of a study done by CONCERT (which said 40 per cent of petroleum products sold nationwide and 20 per cent of the products sold in Chennai were adulterated) ``may not be true'' and that the Government would go into a report presented by experts on the issue.

The study was not based on ``certifiable figures'' but on the total amount of kerosene diverted (during transit) for petroleum adulteration, R. Desikan, trustee, CONCERT said.

The problem lay in the lack of viable standards for proving adulteration in the country.

The standards that were available were ``broad based'' and hence one could not establish adulteration.

The Bureau of Indian Standards parameters for establishing adulteration were based on international standards and did not suit Indian conditions.

The study, done between June and December 2004, had claimed that 15 to 20 per cent of petroleum products sold in Chennai were definitely adulterated, he added.

L. Mansingh, Union Secretary of Consumer Affairs, and M.S. Srinivasan, Union Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, were present.

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