SC to hear PIL against sale of 20% ethanol blended petrol on Sept 1

The Supreme Court will take up on Monday a petition challenging the nationwide rollout of 20 per cent Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP-20), alleging that millions of motorists have been forced to use fuel not designed for their vehicles.

The public interest litigation (PIL) is listed for hearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai on September 1.

Filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra, the PIL has sought a direction to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to ensure availability of ethanol-free petrol at all fuel stations.

It has also wanted the authorities to mandatorily label ethanol content on all petrol pumps and dispensing units, making it clearly visible to consumers, and also to ensure that consumers were informed about ethanol compatibility of their vehicles at the time of fuel dispensing.

The PIL sought to highlight how global practices differed sharply and said in the US and EU, ethanol-free petrol was still widely available, and pumps clearly displayed ethanol content for consumers to make an informed choice.

In India, however, only ethanol-blended fuel is sold, with no disclosure of composition at dispensing units, it said.

The PIL urged the authorities to direct to conduct a "nationwide impact study on mechanical degradation and efficiency loss due to ethanol blended fuel to the extent of 20 per cent usage in non-compliant vehicles".

Millions of motorists were being left helpless at the pumps and were forced to buy fuel that many of their vehicles cannot handle and cars and two-wheelers manufactured before 2023, and even some newer BS-VI models, were not compatible with such high ethanol blends, it alleged.

"Direct the respondents to ensure that consumers are informed about ethanol compatibility of their vehicles at the time of fuel dispensing," it said, highlighting damage to engines, dropping of mileage among other consequences of the move.

Engines were suffering corrosion, fuel efficiency is dropping, and repair bills are mounting, while insurance companies are rejecting claims for damage caused by ethanol fuel, it alleged.