📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Politics
Karnataka Minister Alleges 31% Ethanol In Petrol; Oil Majors Deny
✍️ News18
🗓 06 Nov 2026, 06:43 PM
👁 2
A Karnataka minister has claimed that petrol samples tested in the state contained ethanol levels exceeding 31%, significantly higher than the mandated E20 standard. Major oil marketing companies have denied the allegations.
A controversy has erupted in Karnataka regarding the quality of fuel being sold at petrol pumps. A state minister has alleged that recent tests on petrol samples revealed an ethanol content exceeding 31 percent. This figure is notably higher than the 20 percent ethanol blend mandated under the government's E20 initiative.
The minister's claims suggest a significant deviation from the prescribed fuel standards, raising concerns among consumers about the authenticity of the fuel supplied. The allegation implies that the ethanol concentration in the samples was not merely at the standard level but substantially above it.
In response to the allegations, major public sector oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), have denied the claims. The companies have stated that their fuel blends adhere strictly to the quality parameters set by the government and industry standards.
The dispute highlights ongoing scrutiny over the implementation of the E20 fuel policy in India. While the government aims to reduce carbon emissions and dependence on crude oil through ethanol blending, the accuracy of the blend ratio remains a point of contention for some state officials.
The minister's claims suggest a significant deviation from the prescribed fuel standards, raising concerns among consumers about the authenticity of the fuel supplied. The allegation implies that the ethanol concentration in the samples was not merely at the standard level but substantially above it.
In response to the allegations, major public sector oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), have denied the claims. The companies have stated that their fuel blends adhere strictly to the quality parameters set by the government and industry standards.
The dispute highlights ongoing scrutiny over the implementation of the E20 fuel policy in India. While the government aims to reduce carbon emissions and dependence on crude oil through ethanol blending, the accuracy of the blend ratio remains a point of contention for some state officials.