Automobile Desk: In recent times, various claims were being made on social media regarding the quality and impurities of E20 (ethanol-blended) petrol, which created confusion among motorists. Rejecting all these speculations and rumours, the Petroleum Ministry of the Central Government has clarified the situation. The Ministry has issued an official statement assuring the countrymen that the E20 petrol available in the market is completely safe and is produced under strict quality standards.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, sharing information through its official ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) handle, stated that the entire fuel supply chain is closely monitored at every stage. From production at the refinery to fuel being filled into vehicles at the petrol pump nozzle, a multi-layered system of quality checks operates. The primary objective is to ensure that consumers do not receive substandard or adulterated fuel under any circumstances.
According to data released by the government, safety and purity checks are conducted regularly every day at over 87,000 petrol pumps across the country. Each outlet conducts 8 to 12 tests daily to detect water leakage or presence, as moisture or water in ethanol-blended petrol can affect the fuel’s performance. Furthermore, over 2,000 petrol samples were recently collected to dispel any doubts about quality. These samples were thoroughly tested in laboratories, specifically for the presence of harmful contaminants such as chlorides and sulphides.
Citing the results of an intensive inspection campaign, the government stated that after thousands of tests conducted across the country, only two locations reported minor deviations from the prescribed standards (chloride levels). The Ministry immediately took strict action and suspended fuel sales at the two petrol pumps involved and initiated punitive action for violations.
The Ministry has clearly warned that if any dealership or petrol pump is found to be negligent or tampering with the quality, a zero tolerance policy will be adopted against them. The general public has been appealed not to pay attention to the misleading news spreading on social media. E20 petrol is being released for vehicles only after thorough testing, hence there is no need for motorists to panic or avoid its use. After this official clarification, it is expected that the confusion of those vehicle owners who were skeptical about the use of E20 fuel will be cleared.
