Kerala orders petrol pump inspections in four districts over ethanol blending
The state will test fuel samples following reports of excess ethanol content in petrol in neighbouring Karnataka.
Kerala has ordered inspections at petrol pumps in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur to check for excess ethanol blending. According to Urban Acres, the move follows reports of alleged fuel fraud in Karnataka.
Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Anoop Jacob instructed the commissioner of civil supplies and consumer affairs to carry out these checks after talking with Chief Minister V D Satheesan. Officials stated that no instances of excess ethanol blending have been found in Kerala so far, but the inspections are a preventive measure.
The process involves gathering fuel samples from outlets in the four districts for testing. Under a 2014 state notification, officials including taluk supply officers are authorised to inspect outlets and take legal action if they find violations of the Central Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Order, 2005.
The inspections follow claims in Karnataka that petrol contained ethanol levels as high as 31.2 per cent, exceeding the 20 per cent limit. Karnataka Minister Rizwan Arshad said these allegations were based on tests from several locations, including Bengaluru and Mangaluru.
Public sector oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), rejected the claims. In a joint statement, the companies said their E20 petrol conforms to Bureau of Indian Standards specifications and that the reported claims were not supported by proper statutory testing procedures.