New Delhi: The Central Government has rejected claims circulating on social media about widespread petrol and diesel adulteration, stating that fuel supplied across India continues to meet prescribed quality standards through rigorous monitoring and testing.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) regularly conduct quality inspections under established protocols to ensure the safety and reliability of fuel sold at retail outlets. As part of enhanced monitoring, water ingress tests are now being carried out between eight and twelve times a day at more than 87,000 fuel stations across the country.
To further verify fuel quality, authorities recently tested over 2,000 fuel samples for chloride and sulphide contamination. The ministry said only two cases of chloride contamination were identified nationwide. Fuel sales at both affected outlets were suspended immediately, and necessary corrective measures were initiated.
The ministry emphasised that any retail outlet found selling contaminated or adulterated fuel would face strict action in accordance with regulatory guidelines. It also directed Oil Marketing Companies to strengthen preventive monitoring across the entire fuel supply chain to detect and eliminate contamination risks at the earliest stage.
Reassuring consumers, the government said India’s fuel quality monitoring system remains robust and effective. The ministry also urged the public to avoid believing or sharing unverified social media posts and instead rely on official sources for accurate information regarding fuel quality.
