Karnataka and Centre dispute petrol ethanol test results

Karnataka minister Rizwan Arshad said state testing found ethanol levels above the 20% limit in 11 of 14 petrol samples, including reported readings of 31.2% in Indian Oil fuel and 30.5% in Hindustan Petroleum fuel. Oil companies and the Petroleum Ministry dispute the findings and the testing methods, while the ministry said its own Karnataka samples met the prescribed standard.

Arshad said the state collected 63 samples from petrol stations and sent them to private laboratories after oil companies did not provide information on ethanol content from their in-house laboratories. He said samples from seven districts were tested, and 11 of the 14 results exceeded the 20% blend in E20 petrol. The reported results were attributed to the state minister; the complete laboratory reports are not included in the accounts of the findings.

The Petroleum Ministry said 893 samples collected at oil-company depots and retail outlets across 27 states and Union Territories complied with the prescribed Indian standard. Its 56 samples from Karnataka measured between 19% and 20% ethanol, with an average of 19.30%.

The two sets of results came from different sampling exercises. The ministry said...