Karnataka Minister Demands Penalty Against OMCs Over 31% Ethanol Blend in Petrol
· Business · The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times
The Karnataka government, led by Minister Rizwan Arshad, claims lab tests show ethanol blend in petrol sold across the state is higher than the permitted 20%, reaching up to 31% in some samples. Samples from Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru, and Dakshina Kannada districts revealed IOCL petrol at 31.2% and HPCL at 30.5% ethanol blend. Major OMCs including BPCL, Nayara, and Shell recorded blends of 26.5%, 26.1%, and 25.5% respectively. The Minister alleges oil company in-house labs suppressed ethanol content from test reports despite it being a prescribed parameter, raising transparency concerns.
Why it matters
Consumers face uncertainty about fuel quality and potential engine impact from higher-than-specified ethanol blends, while OMCs are accused of concealing blend percentages from the public.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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