Thiruvananthapuram: Amid a growing row over E20 fuel, Keralam has ordered tests on petrol samples from four districts to determine whether oil companies are exceeding the prescribed ethanol blending limit. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob has directed the Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to conduct the tests after discussions with Chief Minister V D Satheesan.

Samples will be collected from various locations in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur districts, Jacob said. He warned that strict action would follow if excess ethanol content was detected in the fuel samples.

The tests will be conducted at laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in the respective districts. Officials added that forensic laboratories were also equipped to test the samples.

Meanwhile, the Centre has rejected the Karnataka government's allegation that petrol is being sold with ethanol content above the permissible limit. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, however, has questioned the findings of tests conducted by central government laboratories.

According to the petroleum ministry, tests on 893 samples of E20 collected from 27 states found ethanol content ranging from 19% to 21% in all samples. The ministry also said oil companies had questioned the testing methodology adopted by the Karnataka government in testing the ethanol content.

Rahul dubbed the E20 rollout a '420' scam, accusing the Centre of making ordinary motorists pay the price through their petrol tanks (Section 420 of the IPC dealt with the offence of cheating).