D.K. Shivakumar has urged the Centre to act against oil companies allegedly blending ethanol in petrol above the prescribed E20 limit, after inspections in Karnataka reportedly found concentrations as high as 31.2% in some samples. He also called for a compensation fund for consumers whose vehicles may be damaged by fuel with excessive ethanol content.
The inspections were carried out by Karnataka’s Legal Metrology Department under the Mission Nikhara campaign led by Minister Arshad Rizwan, according to a statement shared by Shivakumar on X. The exercise examined petrol samples from major oil companies and found ethanol levels above the specified limit in some samples, the report said.
Shivakumar said excessive ethanol blending could reduce vehicle mileage, damage engines and increase maintenance costs. He argued that the resulting financial burden should not be passed on to ordinary consumers, who may have limited information about the actual composition of the fuel sold to them.
He called for the actual ethanol content in petrol to be disclosed across the country and sought legal action against companies that violate the prescribed limit. He also asked authorities to publish inspection reports from petrol pumps so that consumers can see the findings and understand whether fuel outlets are complying with quality requirements.
The demand places fuel-quality disclosure at the centre of the dispute. Shivakumar proposed that every petrol pump should display the ethanol content of the fuel being sold. He also sought an arrangement that would allow vehicle owners to choose fuel suitable for their vehicles, rather than leaving them without clear information about the blend available at the outlet.
He further proposed the creation of an E20 damage compensation fund for vehicles affected by ethanol-blended petrol. The demand comes as concerns over fuel composition extend beyond pricing to vehicle performance, repair expenses and the responsibilities of oil companies, fuel outlets and regulators.
The report did not include a response from the Centre, the oil companies named in the inspection exercise or individual petrol pump operators. It also did not provide the number of samples tested, the names of outlets where the 31.2% concentration was found, or details of any enforcement action already taken. Shivakumar’s demands include nationwide disclosure of ethanol levels, publication of inspection reports, legal action for violations and the establishment of a compensation mechanism.
