Keralam tests random fuel samples for ethanol density after Karnataka allegations
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said inspections are being conducted following reports of vehicle damage and excessive ethanol levels.
Keralam Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said on Monday that authorities have collected random petrol samples to test if ethanol blending is within prescribed limits. The move follows allegations from Karnataka that fuel contained excess ethanol, according to reports from The Economic Times and ANI.
The Minister stated that samples are being collected from northern and southern districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Kannur. Jacob noted that the government ordered inspections due to public complaints regarding vehicle damage and reduced mileage.
In Kochi, District Civil Supplies Officer Shaji PR said six one-litre samples were flagged, with two sent to an analytical chemical laboratory in Kakinada for testing. The Minister said results from government-owned labs would be used to determine if further steps are necessary.
The inspections follow concerns raised by Karnataka Minister Rizwan Arshad, who warned that fuel with more than 20 per cent ethanol could damage vehicle components. The Karnataka government claimed some retail outlets sold motor spirit with ethanol levels between 26 per cent and 31.2 per cent.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has refuted these claims, stating that 893 samples of E20 petrol from public sector oil marketing companies across 27 States and Union Territories conformed to quality standards. State-run companies, including Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, maintained that ethanol blending is a controlled, automated process.