Fuel samples gathered across Karnataka allegedly showed ethanol blending rates exceeding the permitted twenty percent cap, impacting both public and private supply chains. Critics argue that these elevated blending levels directly hurt motorists by degrading vehicle mileage and driving up long-term maintenance costs. However, major public sector oil companies dispute these findings, arguing the state's testing failed to follow statutory protocols for fuel sampling. The companies maintain that their E20 fuel fully aligns with Bureau of Indian Standards specifications.
Key points
State testing indicated that both public and private oil firms supplied fuel containing e…: State testing indicated that both public and private oil firms supplied fuel containing excess ethanol.
Excess ethanol blending harms consumers by reducing overall vehicle mileage and increasin…: Excess ethanol blending harms consumers by reducing overall vehicle mileage and increasing routine maintenance expenses.
Major oil companies maintain their fuel meets standard specifications because state testi…: Major oil companies maintain their fuel meets standard specifications because state testing failed to follow statutory procedures.
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In a post on X, the Congress leader cited laboratory tests of petrol samples collected by the Karnataka government from seven districts, claiming that several samples contained ethanol beyond the permitted limit.
"E20 turns into '420' (a scam) - Petrol theft from the public's vehicles! The Modi government claims that petrol contains 20% ethanol. The Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and had them tested at an accredited laboratory," he said.
According to Gandhi, 11 of the 14 samples tested had ethanol content exceeding 20%. He cited Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) samples, which reportedly recorded ethanol levels of 31.2% and 30.5%, respectively.
He alleged that the excess ethanol content was found in samples from both public and private oil companies, including IOCL, HPCL, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Nayara and Shell. He also claimed that the companies' internal laboratories had not reported the ethanol content in their test results.
Raising concerns about the impact on consumers, Gandhi alleged that petrol…
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