Leaflets on blended petrol at fuel stations soon

KOLKATA: Soon, buyers at petrol pumps will be handed out leaflets informing them about ethanol-blended motor spirit (EBMS), which is petrol blended with 10% ethanol (E10). The move comes after state consumer affairs minister Sadhan Pandey convened a meeting with oil majors on Monday, asking them to come clean on the use of EBMS and reduce the price of petrol.
West Bengal Petroleum Dealers’ Association had complained that oil firms were wrongly blending ethanol with petrol, which led to its conversion into water in the tank. The conversion, they said, occurs mostly during the monsoon. Therefore, petrol blending must be stalled till the end of the rainy season.
IOCL executive director Dipankar Roy, who is also the statelevel coordinator for oil firms, said, “The minister told us to apprise buyers of EBMS. Oil firms will start distributing leaflets within 10 days. Petrol is blended with 10% ethanol as per rules.”
Tushar Sen, president of the association, said, “Ethanol costs Rs 42 a litre, but the oil companies are charging Rs 80 for it.”