Source: DCI, 25/06/2008

SÃO PAULO - The City of São Paulo renewed yesterday, with the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), for another five years, a contract that provides for the inspection of gas stations. The objective is to identify establishments that have illegal activity, be it sale of adulterated fuel, irregular documentation or lack of business license.

The first contract, signed in late 2005, created a task force to carry out inspections at gas stations. The municipality and the ANP are part of this action, in addition to all the police and the Department for the control of the use of the property (Contru).

So far, 226 interdictions, 677 subpoenas and 971 posts have been closed or inspected.

"We have moved forward on this issue against adulteration of fuels, and we are closing the circle to contain adulteration of gasoline in the city," said Mayor Gilberto Kassab (DEM), during the act of signing the contract at the city hall. “To have an idea, today we did 24 inspections at gas stations, and for them to happen, it took less than a week to organize; in the recent past, something similar would take at least six months, ”he said.

It was also announced that the task force will have more people working on the inspection of gas stations. From the ANP, another 15 agents will arrive to act in the inspection. More than 24 engineers were hired by the city government, through a competition, to work for the same purpose.

Irregularity

According to the ANP, the non-compliance index for fuels in São Paulo increased this year to 5,7%, compared to 3,2% last year. According to the mayor, this is due to the improvement of criminals in adulteration. “As the city advances in inspection, it improves to find adulterated fuel, criminals and rascals also improve to avoid being caught (…) But we will win this fight”, explained the mayor.

Kassab also announced that he asked the Basic Sanitation Company of São Paulo (Sabesp) to create a device to check the radiography of the soil to intensify the inspection. "This program would help us to better observe the soil, without, therefore, having to drill the soil to reach illegal fuel."

Weekends

Another measure that may take effect is the inspection at gas stations on weekends. According to the ANP, it is during these days that many service stations sell adulterated fuel.

"As there is no inspection on weekends, many traders realized this and then started to sell illegal fuel," said Alciedes Amazonas, general coordinator of ANP. "We are studying together with the bodies of the task force so that the inspection extends over the weekends, in order to end this," he concluded.

Next objectives

Although satisfied with the actions already taken, the ANP recognizes that there is still much to improve. "The objective is to intensify work across the state with a greater focus on the capital, so that the adulteration of fuels is increasingly reduced, until the index reaches zero," stated Amazonas. The coordinator took advantage of the event to make an appeal to society: to denounce gas stations that are operating irregularly.

“If someone goes to a gas station, ask for an invoice, ask for tests that prove the reliability of the fuel, be suspicious if the price is too cheap, and, when you notice that the station is in an irregular situation, report it to a competent body, like the city hall or the subprefecture of the region. ”