Kerala Starts Testing Petrol Quality and Ethanol Levels Across Major Fuel Stations

Authorities in Kerala have started collecting fuel samples to check the amount of ethanol mixed in petrol. Teams are taking samples from five major petrol pumps in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts.

Sample Collection Details

In Thiruvananthapuram, samples came from the IOC pump at Vazhayila and the BPCL pump at Kadaivar. Other locations include a pump on the Kozhikode-Kannur national highway at Kannothumchal in Kannur, and an IOC pump near NGO Quarters in Kozhikode. Officials kept the names of the chosen pumps secret until the very last moment. Representatives of oil companies were also asked to join the process. Workers used bottles approved by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation for the task.

Testing Process

Teams collect six samples from each selected pump. One sample stays at the pump, another goes to the government, and the remaining four go to approved laboratories. Officials follow rules set by the central petroleum ministry to store the fuel in special cans. The district supply officer stated that the test results will come out within ten days, and more checks will follow later. The state government decided to start these checks after the Karnataka government found higher levels of ethanol than allowed in its petrol tests.

Context

Ethanol blending in petrol is part of a nationwide effort to reduce the country's heavy dependence on imported crude oil and lower vehicle emissions. Fuel testing helps make sure that vehicles get the right quality of fuel and protects consumers from engine damage or poor fuel performance. State authorities run these random quality checks from time to time to keep fuel stations following standard rules.