New Delhi, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The government on Tuesday said oil marketing companies (OMCs) are regularly monitoring E20 fuel quality across the country, with water ingress tests being conducted 8-12 times daily at more than 87,000 fuel retail outlets to prevent contamination and adulteration.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) said surveillance of the fuel supply chain has been further strengthened amid concerns over reported cases of fuel contamination.
The ministry said only two cases of chloride contamination have been detected across the country so far and sales at both affected retail outlets were suspended immediately.
“Only two cases of chloride contamination have been found in the entire country till now and sales from those pumps were suspended immediately,” the ministry said in a post on social media platform X.
More than 2,000 fuel samples have also been tested for chloride and sulphide contamination, it added.
The ministry said strict action would be taken against any retail outlet found involved in contamination or adulteration. Oil marketing companies have been directed to proactively monitor the entire fuel supply chain and identify possible quality-related issues.
The clarification came along with a series of government infographics explaining the quality assurance process followed for E20 petrol.
According to the ministry, ethanol used for blending with petrol must comply with BIS IS 15464 standards and maintain a minimum purity level of 99.6 per cent. Each ethanol consignment is accompanied by a certified quality report before dispatch.
The government said dedicated storage facilities, regular quality checks and sampling of every ethanol tanker from both the top and bottom before acceptance are among the measures adopted to prevent contamination.
Quality inspections are carried out before every delivery, with the ministry stating that 302 tank trucks carrying nearly 10,500 kilolitres of ethanol were rejected between July 2024 and June 2026 for failing to meet prescribed quality standards.
The government’s clarification comes amid concerns raised over alleged instances of fuel contamination at some retail outlets following reports in recent weeks.
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