Maharashtra urges people to tip off police on adulteration

MUMBAI - As the crackdown on adulteration mafia continued in various parts of Maharashtra Friday, top leaders appealed to the people to come forward and tip off the government on such illegal activities.

Both Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Home Minister R.R.Patil underlined that the war against the adulterators could not be fought without the support of the common people.

“The people must come forward with information on such activities in their areas. We shall keep their identity confidential, Patil told media persons here.

Assuring that the mafia indulging in the adulteration of petrol, edible oil, milk, ghee, mawa, sand, etc., would not be spared, he said that henceforth the local deputy commissioners of police would be directly held responsible for such activities going on within their jurisdiction”.

“If the DCPs are found lax in their duties in tackling adulterators in their respective territories, we shall initiate proceedings against them,” Patil warned.

Meanwhile, union Minister of State for Home Gurudas Kamat called on the family of the Nashik’s additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane, who was burnt to death by the petrol mafia last Tuesday.

Kamat consoled the widow and children of Sonawane and said that the central and state government have taken very serious note of the incident.

“The culprits shall not be spared at any cost and you will get justice,” Kamat assured them.

In a related development, in a nightlong operation, the police swooped on a warehouse in Kurla in central Mumbai and seized over two lakh litres of adulterated fuel in 850 barrels.

In nearby Vakola, police seized 85 tonnes of adulterated fuel and nabbed one person in this regard.

In Sangli, police detected two petrol pumps in Miraj sub-district selling adulterated fuel and sealed these pending further investigations.