Bengaluru, Nov 6 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday demanded that the Centre publicly disclose the actual ethanol content in petrol supplied across the country and take action against oil companies found exceeding the prescribed limit of 20 per cent.
His demand followed a claim by Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad, at a press conference that oil companies were blending more ethanol in petrol than permitted.
Shivakumar said his government would continue its inspections and stand firmly with consumers to ensure transparency, accountability and the right to quality fuel at every petrol station.
In a post on X, the CM said protecting consumers from exploitation and ensuring accountability were his government’s foremost responsibilities. Lauding Arshad, he said the Department of Legal Metrology had conducted extensive inspections across Karnataka under Mission Nikhara.
“Independent laboratory tests have revealed alarming levels of ethanol blending in petrol samples from major oil companies, with some recording levels as high as 31.2 per cent, well beyond the prescribed E20 limit,” Shivakumar said.
He said the Centre, while speaking of the benefits of ethanol blending and energy security, could not turn a blind eye to alleged violations of E20 norms that imposed a financial burden on ordinary citizens.
Reduced mileage, potential vehicle damage and rising maintenance costs were concerns that deserved serious attention, he said.
The CM said it was unacceptable that consumers should bear the cost while oil companies continued to report substantial profits.
“We demand that the Union Government publicly disclose the actual ethanol content in petrol supplied across the country,” Shivakumar wrote on X.
He asked the Centre to initiate strict legal action against oil companies found exceeding the prescribed blending limits and to make petrol pump-level audit reports public.
Shivakumar urged the Centre to establish an E20 Damage Compensation Fund, with a simple, time-bound mechanism to compensate affected vehicle owners.
He further asked the Union government to make disclosure of ethanol blending levels mandatory at every petrol station and to ensure that consumers have a choice of fuel suitable for their vehicles. PTI GMS SSK
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