Kerala tests petrol at fuel stations in four districts for excess ethanol

Kerala has begun random checks of petrol at fuel stations in four districts to see whether it contains more ethanol than the law allows, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said on 9 November.

Samples are being collected in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur districts and sent to a government laboratory. Results will be ready within 10 days, the Minister said. Petrol may not contain more than 20% ethanol. Any station found breaking the limit will be sealed, and those responsible will be taken to court, he said.

Why now

Mr. Jacob said the checks followed findings in Karnataka and complaints from people in Kerala that their vehicles had been damaged. “It is the government’s responsibility to allay their fears,” he said.

Karnataka’s Food Minister, Rizwan Arshad, has alleged that big oil companies sold petrol above the 20% limit. He said tests found up to 31.2%. Those samples came from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru. Karnataka has sought action against the companies.

The public sector oil companies deny the claim. They say their E20 petrol meets the national standard for petrol mixed with ethanol, IS 17021, everywhere, including in Karnataka. They have also questioned how the October samples were collected and tested.

The wider debate

Mr. Jacob also said he was worried about the Centre’s plan to put more ethanol in petrol, the Malayalam channel Asianet News reported. He said the plan should not hurt the country’s food supply. Much of India’s ethanol is made from sugarcane and grain.

Under a 2014 State order, officials from the Civil Supplies Commissioner down to taluk supply officers can check fuel stations and take legal action.