Kerala has ordered inspections at petrol pumps in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur to check whether ethanol is being blended with petrol beyond the permitted limit, following reports of alleged fuel-related fraud in Karnataka.
Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Anoop Jacob directed the commissioner of civil supplies and consumer affairs to conduct the inspections after discussions with Chief Minister V D Satheesan. The checks will involve collecting fuel samples from outlets in the four districts and sending them for testing.
Officials said no instance of excess ethanol blending in petrol has been detected in Kerala so far. The inspections have nevertheless been ordered as a preventive enforcement measure after excess blending was reportedly detected in Karnataka.
The operation places the state’s civil supplies and consumer affairs machinery at the centre of fuel-quality oversight. Officials ranging from the commissioner of civil supplies and consumer affairs to taluk supply officers have been authorised to inspect fuel outlets and initiate legal action if violations are found.
Their powers derive from a state notification issued in 2014 under the Central Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005. The framework covers the regulation of supply and distribution of petrol and diesel and provides for action against malpractice.
The inspections are significant for consumers because the composition of petrol is directly linked to the quantity and quality of fuel supplied at retail outlets. The state’s order, however, is currently based on the need to verify reports from elsewhere; the supplied information does not establish that excess ethanol blending has occurred at any Kerala outlet.
Fuel samples collected during the inspections will be tested in connection with outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur. The testing process is expected to determine whether the ethanol content complies with the permitted limit and whether any outlet has violated fuel-supply regulations.
Jacob said strict action would be taken if adulteration or excess ethanol blending is detected. The next step is therefore the completion of inspections, sample collection and testing by the authorised civil supplies officials. The government has not stated how many outlets will be inspected or when the testing results will be released.
