The Karnataka government has raised concerns over fuel quality, alleging that petrol sold by major oil marketing companies contains ethanol levels significantly higher than the mandated 20% limit. State officials claim that this excessive blending could be causing financial strain on motorists through reduced fuel efficiency and increased vehicle maintenance costs.
To investigate the matter, the state collected 63 fuel samples from companies including IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, and Shell across seven districts, including Bengaluru Urban. Initial inquiries directed at the oil companies regarding the ethanol content reportedly failed to yield clear responses, leading the state to commission independent testing through the NABL-accredited and ISO-certified Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru.
The findings indicated that several samples exceeded the E20 benchmark. In a press release, the state government stated, "It's not E20 fuel. It's more than 31.2% ethanol at IOCL, 30.5% at HPCL, 26.5% at BPCL, 26.1% at Nayara and 25.5% at Shell." Other samples showed varying levels, with some exceeding 20% while others fell within or below the limit.
Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad has called on the central government to establish a compensation fund for motorists. The state government estimates that if fuel efficiency drops by 10% due to the higher ethanol content, consumers could face annual losses of Rs 62,000 crore, with an additional Rs 39,000 crore potentially incurred in vehicle servicing expenses.
"The Government of India must publicly clarify the actual ethanol blend being supplied to consumers," the state government asserted in its statement, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding fuel standards.
