E20 Petrol: Will a method to test for ethanol become available at petrol pumps? You stand to benefit if this demand from dealers is met..

There is currently significant debate in the country regarding E-20 petrol. Some people claim it damages vehicles, while the government maintains it is completely safe. Issues arise not from E-20 petrol itself, but from adulteration. Consequently, the central government has issued strict directives to states to take stern action against dealers selling adulterated ethanol-blended fuel. This has heightened concerns among petrol pump operators. Dealers are now demanding that the government provide the necessary equipment and issue Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to accurately verify the quality of Ethanol-Blended Petrol (EBP).

Currently, there is no system in place at petrol pumps to check the ethanol content or quality of the petrol. In other words, a customer cannot determine the ethanol concentration or quality of the fuel being put into their vehicle. Under Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG), dealers are required to verify the quality of fuel received from depots before dispensing it to customers. However, in the absence of equipment to measure the exact percentage of ethanol in the fuel supplied by depots, how are they supposed to conduct such checks?

**Only Density Can Be Measured at Petrol Pumps**

According to a *Hindustan Times* report, Monty Sehgal, spokesperson for the Punjab Petrol Pump Dealers Association, stated that they possess only conventional tools to measure the density of petrol. It is not possible to determine the actual percentage of ethanol blended into the fuel at the petrol pump itself. Dealers simply sell the fuel they receive from government-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) or refineries. 

On July 8, the Ministry issued an order directing the Chief Secretaries of all states to crack down on adulteration by ensuring coordination among enforcement agencies, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and testing laboratories. However, dealers fear that issuing such strict orders without providing testing equipment is unjustified and could lead to the harassment of petrol pump operators.

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