Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has questioned the Centre’s accountability over ethanol blending in petrol, after state authorities said samples collected from seven districts showed ethanol content of up to 31 per cent against the prescribed 20 per cent.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Wednesday, Shivakumar claimed that excessive blending was affecting vehicle mileage and contributing to engine damage and breakdowns. He said the issue extended beyond individual vehicle owners and required the central government to establish where the fuel was procured, mixed and supplied.
“Let the BJP protest against price rise; it’s politics. But when petrol and diesel prices increased, ethanol was mixed in vehicles, with the blending going beyond 20 per cent to 30 per cent. Mileage has come down. Vehicles are getting damaged, engines are suffering damage, and vehicles are stopping midway,” Shivakumar said.
The comments came after the Karnataka government said last week that petrol samples collected across seven districts had recorded ethanol content as high as 31 per cent. The state has said the prescribed level is 20 per cent, although the report did not identify the districts, individual outlets or test results associated with the samples.
Shivakumar said state authorities had collected samples from 67 locations and informed the Centre and other concerned authorities. “Our minister Rizwan Arshad has collected samples from 67 places and brought the issue to the notice of the central government and the concerned authorities. We have conducted tests and are examining the matter thoroughly,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the state’s concern was not directed at petrol pump operators. Instead, he asked the Centre to investigate the source and quality of the fuel supplied to consumers. “At the very least, shouldn’t the central government have some responsibility to find out where it was procured, where it was mixed and where it came from,” he said.
The allegations have direct implications for vehicle owners because fuel quality and composition can affect operating costs, mileage and maintenance. However, the material available in the report does not establish whether the reported sample readings were found across all locations, whether they resulted from a common supply issue or whether vehicle damage claims have been independently confirmed.
Shivakumar said some representatives of the central government had denied allegations of higher ethanol blending and urged them to first respond to the state’s sample findings. “Let them first answer the questions regarding these samples. After that, we can discuss the other issues,” he said.
The dispute has emerged amid a political confrontation over price rise in Bengaluru. Shivakumar said the BJP should also raise concerns about the alleged effects of ethanol blending if it was protesting fuel prices. His remarks focused the dispute on two separate questions: the price paid by consumers and the quality and composition of the fuel supplied to them.
The state government’s next step is to continue examining the samples collected from 67 locations and place the findings before the Centre and relevant authorities. The report did not specify when the testing results would be released publicly or what corrective action would follow if the reported ethanol levels are confirmed.
