Though required to stop operation for a year as of February 1, four out of nine fuel dealers that had their licenses revoked last year for selling substandard petrol have been caught remaining operational.
On the morning of February 1, the Phu Hoang filling station at 3A Bau Cat, in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Binh District, was full of consumers, though it had been fined VND30 million for selling substandard petrol under the guise of A92- and A95-grade gasoline, and had its license withdrawn.
When asked to arrange a meeting between Tuoi Tre and Do Van Thuat, the station’s owner, the employees said he had been away.
Similarly, the Minh Dat filling station in Binh Chanh District, another company whose license was revoked, is still serving customers as usual. A female employee who refused to be named said her station had been allowed “by the authorities to operate until the unsold petrol stock had been emptied.”
However, she could not elaborate on which agencies had given them the go-ahead to do so.
The Truong Anh filling station in District 12 also continued to operate despite the authorities’ requirement that they shut down.
For its part, the Tan Canh private company in Tan Phu District had its license expire on December 31, 2011, and was banned from renewing the license for one year.
However, the filling station was caught remaining operational on February 1.
Do Thi Ro, who runs the company, told Tuoi Tre that she was just trying to empty the unsold stock.
However, after the talk with Tuoi Tre, Ro immediately asked the employees to close down the station.
Le Manh Ha, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the relevant agencies will conduct check-ups on the violators to see whether or not they have followed the law.
“Any violators refusing to close operation as required will be severely sanctioned, and asked to shut down operations,” Ha said.
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