Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob has directed officials to test fuel samples in four districts following allegations of excessive ethanol in Karnataka.
Keralam Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob has ordered inspections of petrol outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur districts. According to the Deccan Chronicle, the decision follows allegations in neighbouring Karnataka that fuel was being sold with ethanol levels exceeding the permitted 20 per cent limit.
The minister directed the Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to collect and test samples after discussions with Chief Minister V D Satheesan. Jacob stated that the state has not yet encountered any instances of improper ethanol blending, but the checks are a preventive measure due to the reported malpractice in Karnataka.
The row in Karnataka began after its government claimed laboratory tests showed ethanol concentrations as high as 31.2 per cent. Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said these findings were based on samples from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs), including Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), have rejected these claims. In a joint statement, the companies said the reported levels were not supported by testing conducted under prescribed statutory and technical procedures.
The companies maintained that their E20 petrol conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards specification. They noted that 893 samples tested across 27 States and Union Territories, including 56 from Karnataka, showed ethanol within the stipulated 19-21 per cent range.
The inspections in Keralam will be conducted under a 2014 state notification. Jacob said strict action would be taken if any violations are detected during the process.
