|
BJP MP Brij Lal on Saturday defended the rollout of E20 petrol, describing it as safe and alleging that a "lobby" was working to create a false narrative against the fuel blend.
Speaking to ANI, Brij Lal said E20 petrol was safe for vehicles and would help reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil. "E20 petrol is safe. A narrative is being created, and a lobby is working against it. The Ministry has issued a clarification. I too own a vehicle, and I use the same, but my vehicle has never faced any issues," he said. The BJP MP acknowledged that fuel efficiency may reduce marginally but said the economic benefits outweighed the loss. "Mileage indeed drops by 3-4 per cent, but this will save a lot of money for the country. We import 80 per cent of our fuel, and by mixing 20 per cent ethanol, we will be able to save the money that goes abroad," he said. Alleging that criticism of E20 was politically motivated, Brij Lal said, "Those who are opposing it are against the development of the country and are being controlled by foreign powers. E20 petrol is safe." His remarks came after the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas clarified concerns over the nationwide rollout of E20 fuel and the absence of separate availability of pure petrol, E10 and E20 at retail outlets. The Ministry said maintaining multiple petrol grades across India's fuel distribution network would create significant operational and logistical challenges. It said the transition to E20 followed extensive consultations with automobile manufacturers, testing agencies and other stakeholders, and was based on technical evaluations covering vehicle compatibility, engine performance, emissions and fuel efficiency. According to the Ministry, India's network of over one lakh fuel retail outlets, supported by refineries, terminals, depots and pipelines, is not designed to handle multiple nationwide fuel supply chains simultaneously. The Ministry also said automobile manufacturers had supported the transition after extensive testing and continue to honour warranties for vehicles. Citing field data, it noted that Maruti Suzuki serviced 2.84 crore vehicles during FY 2025-26, including 1.5 crore older non-E20-certified vehicles, without reporting E20-related issues such as corrosion or abnormal wear. Hero MotoCorp has reported similar findings. The Ministry acknowledged that E20 may reduce fuel economy by 3-5 per cent in some vehicles but said the blend offers benefits including higher octane rating, improved combustion, smoother engine performance, cleaner operation and lower lifecycle carbon emissions. It added that the ethanol-blending programme would also reduce crude oil imports, strengthen energy security and support farmers through increased ethanol production. Meanwhile, commenting on the alleged embezzlement of the Ram Temple donation case, Brij Lal said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was conducting a fair probe. "Investigation is underway. The SIT is doing good work. Eight people have been arrested. But the Opposition has misled people in this matter. The guilty should be punished," he said. (ANI)
|
