Supreme Court to hear plea seeking ethanol percentage labels at petrol pumps
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on August 31 seeking mandatory labelling of ethanol content on petrol dispensing nozzles across the country. The plea asks the Centre and other authorities to ensure that every petrol pump clearly displays the exact percentage of ethanol in the fuel.
According to the Supreme Court's causelist for August 31, the matter will be heard by a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale.
The petition was filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami.
It also seeks a direction for fuel invoices to clearly mention the percentage of ethanol in the petrol sold.
The plea has asked the authorities to create a public database showing vehicle-wise compatibility with different ethanol blends. The database would be searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture. It would show whether different ethanol blends are suitable for specific vehicles.
The petitioner has also sought an independent expert committee to examine the real-world compatibility of E20 petrol with vehicles currently on the road.
The proposed committee would include representatives from the ministries of petroleum and natural gas and road transport and highways. It would also include officials from the Bureau of Indian Standards and independent automobile engineers.
The committee has been asked to examine the effect of E20 on fuel efficiency, engine life and maintenance costs. It would also examine possible implications for vehicle warranties and insurance.
The plea seeks an assessment of E20's overall environmental impact. This includes tailpipe emissions and water use linked to ethanol production. It also raises concerns about food security and the diversion of crops for animal feed.
The petition further seeks a national consumer disclosure protocol for ethanol-blended petrol. It proposes that the protocol be prepared in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The petitioner has also asked authorities to place policy files and technical studies before the Supreme Court. These include compatibility reports, safety standards, consumer advisories and records of public consultations related to the mandatory rollout of E20.
The plea also seeks a time-bound framework for vehicles that are older or not compatible with higher ethanol blends. It has suggested considering the availability of lower-ethanol petrol for such vehicles where technically, economically and logistically feasible.
The petitioner has sought that any decision on the transition be supported by expert material and public consultation. (with inputs from PTI)
