Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd has become the first oil firm to start supplies of ethanol-blended petrol in the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh region. The fuel to the Ladakh region is supplied from its Leh depot, situated at an altitude of 11,500 feet, HPCL said in a statement.

"Conquering the fuel requirement at such high altitude / low temperature and duly backed by robust quality checks, HPCL has become the first oil marketing company in the country to launch ethanol-blended petrol in Ladakh region," it said. The government has mandated oil companies to mix ethanol in petrol to help cut emissions and reduce the oil import bills. A target of mixing 20 percent ethanol in petrol has been set for 2025.

HPCL's Leh depot, which was commissioned in 2018 with total tankage of 4,450 kilolitres, is a crucial oil depot in the northernmost part of the country as it caters to the local demand and requirements of the Indian Armed Forces deployed along the borders.

The depot has enough capacity to cater to the entire region during the harsh winter months when supply to the region is not possible due to road blockages. "HPCL was also the first oil marketing company of the country to start selling ethanol-blended petrol from its retail outlets situated in the Jammu and Kashmir region," the statement said. Stating that ethanol has become one of the major priorities of 21st century India, HPCL said the focus on ethanol is helping the cause of a better environment and is also bringing in a positive impact on the lives of farmers. "These initiatives of HPCL will boost the efforts of our country in achieving the target of 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025," the statement added./PTI