Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Nov 6: The Karnataka government has alleged that major oil companies are supplying petrol with ethanol exceeding the stipulated 20% limit. Following tests conducted by the department of food, civil supplies, consumer affairs and legal metrology which revealed ethanol levels as high as 31.2%, the government has demanded action against these companies.
In a press release, minister Rizwan Arshad stated that the allegations are based on tests conducted on petrol samples collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
According to test results from the Shriram Institute for Industrial Research in Bengaluru, an NABL-accredited and ISO-certified institution, samples collected from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) contained 31.2% and 30.5% ethanol, respectively.
The results further revealed ethanol content of 27% in HPCL (MS) petrol, 26.5% in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) 'Speed' petrol, 26.1% in Nayara petrol, and 25.5% in Shell petrol. Two other BPCL samples recorded 24.2% and 22.6%, while another HPCL sample showed 22.4% and an IOCL sample had 20.8%.
Among the remaining motor spirit (MS) samples, Nayara recorded 20.6%, a BPCL sample had 19.9%, a Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) sample had 19.2% and a Shell sample showed 13.5%. The minister highlighted that samples from major fuel companies exceeded the 20% ethanol mark, with IOCL and HPCL recording the highest levels.
The press release noted that the samples were initially submitted to the internal laboratories of IOCL and BPCL. However, their test reports failed to disclose the ethanol content, even though it is one of the prescribed testing parameters. This omission raises serious questions about the transparency of oil marketing companies and what they are attempting to hide from consumers, the statement said.
The state government pointed out that consumers are bearing a heavy financial burden due to this excessive blending, citing reduced mileage and potential damage to vehicle components such as filters, fuel pumps, injectors and seals. It claimed that 99% of India's 35 crore vehicles are not designed to run on ethanol blends higher than E20. Even vehicles sold after April 2023 are certified only for blends up to 20%. Expressing concern over the fuel dispensing infrastructure, the government noted that most dispensing units currently used at petrol pumps are designed to handle blends containing only up to 15% ethanol.