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A dispute over ethanol in Karnataka's petrol has produced two sharply different sets of laboratory results. The state says some samples contained more than 30% ethanol. Indian Oil, BPCL and HPCL say their checks found fuel within the prescribed range and have sought joint testing.
Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad said on Friday that tests at NABL-accredited and ISO-certified laboratories found 31.2% ethanol in an Indian Oil sample and 30.5% in an HPCL sample. He demanded disclosure of ethanol content at fuel stations, action against excessive blending and compensation for affected consumers.
The oil companies challenged the testing procedure. They said all 893 samples checked across 27 states and Union territories, including 56 from Karnataka, contained between 19% and 21% ethanol, the prescribed range for E20 petrol.
The figures come from different sample sets. They do not establish that the same fuel was tested twice with different results, nor do they show that petrol across Karnataka contains 30% ethanol.
That leaves a question for motorists: how will the competing claims be checked? The companies have asked for transparent joint testing with the state government. Their statements do not give a date for that exercise.
Publication of the sampling locations, collection dates and test methods would make the results easier to compare. For now, the allegation of excessive blending remains contested. Neither set of figures, on its own, proves that fuel caused damage to a particular vehicle.
Hashtags: #BusinessBeyondHeadlines #Karnataka #E20 #Ethanol #FuelQuality #ConsumerAffairs #E20Petrol #EthanolBlending #RizwanArshad #IndianOil
