Test confirms diesel safe for use
Update: Laboratory tests have found that the diesel samples from the 20 kiloliters tank, which was sent for tests following complaints from vehicle owners in Trongsa last week, was not adulterated.
However, the sample from the truck's fuel tank confirmed presence of water in its diesel. On July 9, the truck owner had lodged a complaint of his vehicle breaking down soon after fueling it, along with a bolero owner.
"Samples were sent to Thimphu for reconfirmation under doubts that our tests wasn't proficient," the regional trade and industry office's director, Aiman Mahat said.
Lab test results from the trade department's quality control released on July 13 reconfirmed the properties of diesel sample from 20 kilolitres tank to be well within the acceptable international standard.
"The above sample meets the requirement of diesel as per international standard," the result stated, adding no trace of foreign substances were found.
"The tank's diesel is therefore declared safe for use now," Aiman Mahat said.
But the result of the sample from the truck's fuel tank however showed traces of adulteration. The report stated that the sample failed in distillation test as it contained traces of water.
Aiman Mahat said the result of the truck's diesel sample would be dismissed.
"The result from the truck couldn't be entertained because of lack of guiding proof of whether it was fuelled from the BoD or from other available sources," he said.
According to the regional office, no penalty will be levied on the fuel depot based on the adulteration complaint lodged by the truck and bolero. "The dealer is not liable for penalty since there are chances that the truck might have fuelled from different sources," Aiman Mahat said.
Meanwhile, the regional office had also directed the BoD for necessary routine maintenance and to drain off water from every four tanks that store diesel, petrol and kerosene from July 10-12.
"Immediately, a mechanic was hired from Phuentsholing to rectify the defects and execute maintenance works wherever necessary," Aiman Mahat said, adding an electric pump to drain water from the tanks, which didn't exist earlier, was also procured.
With arrival of the electric pump eveary tank storing diesel, petrol and kerosene were thoroughly pumped out of its water content. In total 1,000 litres of water was drained out from these four underground tanks.
The intake pipe to 20 kilolitres tank, which was battered in the flood, was also repaired. "BoD has been advised to secure the intake pipe areas with cement," Aiman Mahat said.
Diesel from the sealed fuel dispenser was permitted for sale starting yesterday.
Tempa Wangdi, Trongsa