Karnataka stands by findings of excess ethanol in petrol
Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad rejected claims by oil marketing companies that the state's sample testing methodology was incorrect.
Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said on Monday that the Karnataka government stands by its report alleging that oil marketing companies (OMCs) are blending more than the prescribed 20 per cent ethanol in petrol. According to reports from Deccan Herald and ANI, the state's findings showed ethanol content in samples from seven districts reaching up to 31.2 per cent.
Arshad rejected arguments from OMCs that irregularities might have occurred at individual petrol outlets, noting that blending is an automated process at six terminals in the state. He stated that pump owners had nothing to do with the alleged overblending and dismissed the companies' rebuttal of the state's sample tests.
The minister said the state sent 63 samples to a third-party NABL-accredited lab under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after companies failed to provide exact ethanol content when sent to their in-house labs. He noted that the gas chromatography test used is prescribed in the companies' own orders.
Arshad also addressed the central government's recent statement regarding a potential shift from E20 to E30 fuel. He questioned the compatibility of such blends with vehicles, citing that BMW CEO Hardeep Singh Brar has stated BMW is not compatible with E30.
The minister urged the Centre to provide consumers a choice between pure petrol and E20, make blended fuel cheaper, and mandate labelling at dispensing units. He also called for compensation for mileage loss and vehicle repair losses to consumers.