Karnataka alleges oil companies supplied petrol with excess ethanol
Laboratory tests found ethanol levels as high as 31.2 per cent in samples collected across seven districts.
The Karnataka government has alleged that major oil marketing companies supplied petrol with ethanol concentrations exceeding the prescribed 20 per cent E20 limit. According to reports from Urban Acres and ThePrint, laboratory tests conducted on samples from seven districts recorded levels as high as 31.2 per cent.
Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad stated that samples were collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru. The testing was performed at the Bengaluru-based Shriram Research Institute, which is ISO-certified and accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Test results showed Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) petrol had 31.2 per cent ethanol, while a Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) sample recorded 30.5 per cent. Other samples exceeding the limit included HPCL at 27 per cent, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) Speed at 26.5 per cent, Nayara at 26.1 per cent and Shell at 25.5 per cent.
Minister Arshad noted that 99 per cent of vehicles cannot handle fuel beyond the E20 blend. He claimed that excess ethanol could reduce mileage and damage components such as fuel pumps, injectors, filters, hoses and seals.
The state government also claimed that in-house laboratory reports from IOCL and BPCL failed to reveal ethanol content despite it being a required testing parameter. The government has sought action against the companies and demanded the mandatory display of ethanol percentages at petrol pumps.
Additional demands from the state include a nationwide system for different fuel blends, compensation for consumers with verified vehicle damage, and the creation of an E20 spoilage fund.