Click to play videoKolkata: Kolkata's autorikshaw drivers have struck gold, black gold. They call it the Kata oil, a deadly mixture of naptha, kerosene and petrol.
While a litre of petrol costs Rs 46, the adulterated fuel costs just Rs 32, which is a profit of Rs 12 straightaway.
It's a well-oiled industry, functioning away from the official eyes. CNN-IBN uncovers the muck, and it led us the congested lanes of Behala.
A spy cam recorded a driver buying Kata oil from a dealer in the city.
“One pint chacha, regular customer from today. Will this be available on credit? Will I get it post 9 pm? Is the service good?
I can't live with the prices of authentic palm oil so now I am switching to Kata oil,” the driver told the supplier.
As this black economy thrives, the CNG distributors are running out of gas.
“For the last three years we have only incurred losses. In fact, we stopped making any data charts for these losses,” said a CNG supplier, Kunal Ghosh.
"All those manufacturing Kata oil, who make the spurious polluting mixture should be punished,” said pollution control expert S M Ghosh.
As the autorickshaw drivers make profits, it's the state that loses out, both on health and wealth.
The state government, according to industry estimates, loses more than Rs 350 crore a month on Value-Added Tax.
But the administration says it is not aware of this network that sells adulterated petrol.
"We are not aware of this spurious Kata fuel but if we are made aware of this illegal deal from our superiors then we will have to take action,” said ACP, Enforcement Branch, Kolkata, Souresh Chandra Das.
It is as greasy as it gets: a slick combination of naptha, a dash of kerosene, some good old fuel and voila, you have Kata.
It’s Kolkata's three-wheel polluted solution even as Kolkatans get used to living with this toxic day in and out. From the looks of it, this is a well-oiled nexus.
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