The controversy surrounding ethanol blending in petrol has now reached Kerala, with the state government ordering inspections to check whether oil companies are supplying fuel with ethanol content exceeding the prescribed limits. The move comes just days after the Karnataka government claimed that laboratory tests had found ethanol levels as high as 31.2% in petrol samples collected from different parts of the state.
Keralam’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob has directed the Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to conduct inspections following discussions with Chief Minister V D Satheesan. Petrol samples will be collected from fuel stations in four districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur.
The samples will be sent to accredited laboratories for testing. The state government has also warned that strict action will be taken if excessive ethanol blending or other fuel quality violations are detected. Officials have clarified that no instance of excessive ethanol blending has so far come to their notice in Kerala.
The Kerala government’s decision follows a major controversy in neighbouring Karnataka. As reported in our earlier stories, the Karnataka government had collected 63 petrol samples from seven districts and sent them for testing after receiving complaints from motorists about reduced mileage and vehicle-related problems.
According to Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad, independent laboratory testing found ethanol content above the prescribed 20% level in several samples. The highest reading was 31.2% in a regular petrol sample from an Indian Oil Corporation outlet. An HPCL Power sample reportedly recorded 30.5%, while other samples from BPCL, Nayara Energy and Shell also showed ethanol levels above 20%.
In another report, we highlighted how the Karnataka government claimed that oil marketing companies had not disclosed ethanol percentages in their initial fuel quality reports, prompting the state to seek independent testing.
The findings have been strongly disputed by oil marketing companies. Indian Oil, BPCL and HPCL have questioned the sampling and testing methodology used by Karnataka, maintaining that their E20 petrol meets the prescribed quality standards.
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has also disputed Karnataka’s findings. According to the Centre, 893 E20 petrol samples collected across 27 states and Union Territories were tested, with all samples recording ethanol content within the prescribed 19-21% range.
The ministry also said that 56 samples tested in Karnataka under the central monitoring exercise complied with the relevant specifications. Oil companies have sought joint sampling and independent testing under the prescribed procedures to resolve the dispute.
E20 petrol contains up to 20% ethanol blended with conventional petrol and is part of India’s efforts to reduce crude oil imports and emissions. However, motorists have raised concerns about fuel compatibility, mileage and the long-term impact of ethanol on components such as fuel pumps, injectors, hoses and seals, particularly in older vehicles.
Kerala’s inspections could provide another independent set of findings in the ongoing controversy. If excessive blending is detected, the state government has indicated that action will follow. For now, the central government and oil companies maintain that fuel supplied through their networks meets the prescribed standards, while Karnataka’s allegations remain contested.