Now, Cong-led Keralam govt follows Karnataka on 'ethanol test'

BENGALURU/NEW DELHI/T'PURAM: Following in Congress-governed Karnataka's footsteps, the Congress-led govt of Keralam Monday started collecting petrol samples to test whether their ethanol content was more than the prescribed 20%, setting up a likely Centre-state confrontation over E20 fuel.Keralam civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob said officials collected six samples each from nine petrol pumps across Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur, in the presence of OMC representatives.PESO-approved bottles and trained officials were used, he said, adding that further rounds of testing would follow and prosecution would be initiated if excess blending was detected.This prompted Union minister of state for petroleum Suresh Gopi to say that states were free to conduct tests but they should avoid political mudslinging. "Let them conduct the tests, whether it is Karnataka or Keralam govt. We have scientific support for it," he said. The minister warned that those creating controversies for political purposes would have to face consequences. Gopi said Centre had permitted 20% blending after assessing scientific feasibility and was implementing the transition gradually.On Monday, Karnataka defended its third-party laboratory findings about ethanol levels of up to 31.2%, rejecting a joint rebuttal by three oil marketing companies - IOCL, BPCL and HPCL. State food and civil supplies minister Rizwan Arshad termed objections raised by the three OMCs "illogical" and accused them of trying to push for a fresh joint survey after recalibrating the ethanol mix.He said state govt would send its findings to Centre, seek changes in testing protocols and demand discounted prices for E20 petrol, stressing that higher ethanol content reduced mileage and raised the effective cost for consumers.Arshad said alleged blending of up to 30% was happening at six terminals where ethanol was mixed with petrol before distribution, not at retail outlets. Karnataka said authorised officials followed prescribed sampling procedures, with labels jointly signed by officials and dealers. After OMC laboratories failed to provide ethanol percentages for the initial 63 samples, the state sent them to NABL-accredited, ISO-certified third-party laboratories.The three OMCs had challenged Karnataka's Oct tests, questioning its sampling and laboratory methodology. They said it did not follow statutory procedures under Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, IS 17021 standards or prescribed gas chromatography dilution protocols.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.