Minister alleges illegal ethanol levels in petrol

CH NEWS, BENGALURU Public policy debates often touch on everyday consumer goods, sparking heated controversies regarding hidden costs, corporate profits, and government accountability. A major political row has erupted in the state following serious allegations leveled by a senior government minister regarding the quality and composition of automobile fuel sold across public filling stations. Karnataka Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Rizwan Arshad has publicly accused major oil marketing companies of supplying petrol containing ethanol levels that far exceed legally permitted thresholds, severely compromising vehicle efficiency. Addressing a press conference backed by official laboratory findings, the minister launched a sharp attack against the Central Government and public sector fuel distributors, demanding immediate transparency and regulatory action to protect everyday vehicle owners. According to the minister, public concern prompted his department to collect sixty-three fuel samples from various stations across the state. While initial tests through official oil company channels yielded opaque results, samples sent to accredited independent private laboratories revealed shocking discrepancies. Several tested fuel batches contained ethanol blending levels ranging well above the standard twenty percent limit, with some samples touching nearly thirty-one percent. Authorities emphasized that ninety-nine percent of vehicles currently on Indian roads are not engineered to handle high-blend fuel, leading to drastically reduced mileage, internal engine strain, and mounting repair bills for citizens. Arshad argued that while central authorities claim biofuel initiatives save foreign exchange, ordinary citizens bear the heavy financial burden through damaged engines and frequent garage visits, whereas oil corporations enjoy massive profits. Declaring absolute fearlessness backed by party leadership support, the state government has placed four major demands before federal ministries: full transparency on blending proportions, strict legal penalties against non-compliant oil firms, compensation for affected vehicle owners, and mandatory labeling of ethanol percentages at every petrol pump nationwide.