Karnataka Chief Minister Shivakumar expresses concern to Centre over ethanol blending issue

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday raised serious questions regarding the Central Government's responsibility concerning the blending of ethanol with petrol. According to a report by Businessline, he has appealed to the Centre to immediately address the negative impact that increasing ethanol levels are having on vehicles. The Chief Minister alleged that instead of the 20 per cent limit, ethanol blending in vehicles across the country has reached between 20 to 30 per cent, leading to a significant reduction in vehicle mileage. Additionally, excessive ethanol blending is causing damage to vehicle engines and frequent breakdowns, resulting in financial losses for vehicle owners.

The controversy intensified when the Karnataka government released findings of an inspection on 6 November. Out of 14 petrol samples collected from various fuel stations across the state, 11 samples were found to have ethanol content exceeding the prescribed 20 per cent limit. Laboratory tests recorded ethanol levels of up to 31.2 per cent in petrol supplied by Indian Oil Corporation and 30.5 per cent in fuel from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation. However, oil marketing companies have questioned the state government's testing methodology.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also sided with the oil companies, questioning the credibility of the state government's report. He stated on the social media platform X that the Karnataka government's certificates only show the percentage of ethanol, but do not mention any details such as the testing method, calibration, dilution, or reference samples. On the other hand, Union Minister Hardeep Puri had previously clarified that the government has no intention of increasing ethanol blending in fuel beyond 20 per cent.

Chief Minister Shivakumar's statements come at a time when the BJP is staging intense protests against the government in the state. The BJP has become aggressive over the state government's decision to increase milk prices by ₹8 per litre, as well as hikes in bus fares and luggage charges. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai termed the current Congress government anti-people and anti-development. Other senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa stated that life has become difficult for the common man due to price hikes. He accused the government of having no concern for the general public and demanded an immediate withdrawal of these increases.

As the Chief Minister of Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar plays a vital role in the state's administrative and political structure. He has also served as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and is considered an influential leader in the state's politics. In previous years, he has also played an active role in various development projects and policy decisions of the state. In the current state government, he also holds responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister and plays an important role in the management of various departments.