E20 petrol row: Bring back lower blend of ethanol fuel at pumps, says CEA Nageswaran
While the article said available evidence does not substantiate concerns that E20 is damaging engines, it acknowledged potential problems involving older vehicles. "India has roughly 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers ... older rubber seals that are not rated for ethanol are a separate problem ... retrofitting those seals... that way will take years," the opinion piece said.
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has urged the government to reconsider the reintroduction of petrol with a lower ethanol content, amid increasing concerns about the impact of E20 petrol on vehicles. Introduced nationwide last year, E20, which contains 20% ethanol, is now the only petrol variant available at fuel stations across the country.
In a column for the Indian Express, Nageswaran suggested that the government should offer a choice between E10 and E20, aiming to ease public concerns. This marks the first time a top official has publicly advocated for more flexibility in fuel blends, as opposition to the policy grows. The authors of the article, V Anantha Nageswaran and Akash Poojari, emphasized that the views expressed were personal, though such public disagreements among senior Indian officials are rare.
The government has not indicated any plans to bring back lower-ethanol petrol variants, despite widespread concerns over vehicle performance and potential damage to automotive components. While there is no concrete evidence proving that E20 is causing engine damage, older vehicles with rubber seals not rated for ethanol may face issues, as noted by the oil ministry.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
