Karnataka govt stands by findings of 'excess' ethanol blending in petrol: Minister Arshad

BENGALURU: Karnataka minister Rizwan Arshad on Monday said that the state government stood by its findings that oil marketing companies (OMCs) were blending more than the prescribed 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, with some samples showing levels of up to 31.2 per cent, and accused them of evading questions on the issue.

The minister for Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology said the state government had followed the prescribed sampling and testing procedures and challenged the OMCs to explain the actual ethanol content in 63 samples collected from petrol pumps across the state.

He also demanded that consumers be given the choice of buying E10, E20, E30 and pure petrol, depending on their vehicles' compatibility.

"I want to assure everyone in the country that the government of Karnataka stands by its report and its claim that oil marketing companies are blending more than 20 per cent ethanol in petrol. This can cause serious damage to vehicle engines and place an additional financial burden on ordinary people," Arshad told reporters.

Rejecting the OMCs' contention that irregularities could have occurred at individual petrol outlets, he said ethanol blending was a controlled and automated process carried out at terminals and not by petroleum dealers.

"This is not an ordinary adulteration issue involving a few outlets. Ethanol has to be blended at the terminals. As far as my knowledge goes, Karnataka has six such terminals where oil marketing companies blend ethanol," he said.

Petrol pump owners and dealers had nothing to do with the alleged overblending, he said.

Arshad said the companies were attempting to divert attention by questioning the sampling procedure and the credibility of the laboratory that tested the samples. The samples were collected in accordance with Clause 8 (3) of the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005.

Under the prescribed procedure, samples were jointly labelled and signed by authorised officers and representatives of dealers or concerned persons, with one sample handed over to the outlet, another retained by the department and the third sent to the laboratory, he explained.

"We have all the documentation, including the performance records signed by our officers and the representatives of the marketing companies and dealers. Not a single sample was collected without following the joint sampling procedure mandated under Clause 8(3)," he said.

Defending the testing methodology, the minister said the samples were examined at an NABL-accredited and ISO-certified third-party laboratory after the OMCs failed to provide a clear response when the state initially approached them.

He questioned why the companies were disputing the findings of an accredited laboratory while their own officers were conducting on-the-spot ethanol tests at petrol pumps using hydrometer kits.

"If this is such a simple exercise that your officers can conduct at every petrol pump, why can't we do it. When we get the samples tested through an NABL-accredited, ISO-certified laboratory, you question its credibility," he said.

Arshad also referred to IS 17021:2018 and its third amendment issued in August 2025, which, he said, prescribed methods including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, water extraction and gas chromatography for determining ethanol content in petrol.

He said the state had collected 63 samples from September 21 onwards and sent them to different oil marketing companies, but they had failed to provide specific ethanol-blending percentages for the samples.

"Why did you not invite us for a joint inspection when we asked you to provide the results of those 63 samples. You did not give us a clear report and forced us to approach a third-party laboratory. Now you are disputing that report as well," he said.

While expressing readiness to participate in a joint inspection proposed by the companies, he alleged that they had made the offer only after the state government exposed the alleged overblending.

The minister also questioned the Centre's silence and referred to Union Minister for Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy's recent statement that a decision had been taken at the departmental level to increase ethanol blending to E30.

"Is Kumaraswamy wrong. He himself said that a decision had been taken three or four months ago. My question is whether oil marketing companies have been unofficially blending ethanol up to E30 even before formally announcing it as government policy," he asked.

He cited concerns reportedly raised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, a private insurance company and automobile manufacturers over the compatibility of E20 fuel with certain vehicles and possible engine damage.

Arshad questioned whether ordinary vehicles, particularly two-wheelers used by middle-class families, could withstand higher ethanol blends.

He also alleged that vehicle mileage had declined by 20 to 30 per cent in some cases, increasing the financial burden on consumers.

The minister said the OMCs had reported a combined profit of Rs 77,000 crore last year and questioned the circumstances behind the alleged higher blending.

Stressing that ethanol blending itself was not opposed by the state government, he said consumers must be allowed to choose fuel based on their vehicle requirements. "If you say that the fuel is E20, then give consumers exactly E20. The common man who pays for the fuel must get what has been promised to him. Do not deceive consumers by supplying fuel with E30 blending while claiming that it is E20."

"If I own a vehicle that is not E10-compatible, I should be able to purchase pure petrol. If I own an E10-compatible vehicle, I should be able to purchase E10 fuel. If I own an E20-compatible vehicle, I should be able to purchase E20 fuel," he added.

He said Karnataka would continue periodic random testing through third-party laboratories and appealed to all state governments, irrespective of their political affiliations, to conduct regular checks rather than rely on tests conducted by OMCs themselves.