The Supreme Court (SC) is set to hear a plea on August 31, which seeks mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol content on every petrol dispensing nozzle across the nation.
The plea was filed by one Narendra Kumar Goswami, which seeks directives to the Union Government and other authorities to ensure that motorists are apprised of the exact percentage of ethanol blended into the petrol they purchase.
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The case has been listed before a bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale, as per the Apex court’s cause list. Moreover, the petitioner has also sought directions making it mandatory for fuel invoices to clearly and legibly mention the percentage of ethanol blended in the petrol being sold.
Plea seeks vehicle-wise compatibility database
The petition calls for the preparation and publication of an official and a publicly accessible database detailing vehicle-wise compatibility with different ethanol blends. The database would be searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture, paving the way for the consumers to determine whether their vehicles are compatible with particular ethanol blends.
Furthermore, the plea has also urged the top court to constitute an independent expert committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards and other stakeholders, including independent automobile engineers.
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The committee would examine the real-world compatibility of E20 petrol across India’s existing vehicle fleet and would submit its findings in a public report.
Focus to be laid on these parameters
As per the petition, the expert panel should assess the impact of E20 on fuel efficiency, longevity of the engine and maintenance expenses, besides examining possible implications for vehicle warranties and insurance.
Additionally, the petition has sought an assessment of the programme’s overall environmental footprint, including tailpipe emissions and the water consumption linked to ethanol production. It also raises concerns over food security and the diversion of agricultural resources towards feedstock for ethanol production.
The person who filed the petition has sought a national consumer disclosure protocol for all ethanol-blended petrol, to be framed in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards.