"Paid Campaign To Politically Target Me": Nitin Gadkari On E20 Petrol Row

The social media campaign against E20 blending is a "paid campaign to politically target me", Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.

The minister was taking questions at the annual convention of the Society of Automobile Manufacturers when he was asked about the concerns surrounding the blending of ethanol into petrol.

The minister replied that automobile manufacturers and bodies like the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) have shared their findings on ethanol blending in petrol. "The way your industry works, so does politics. The social media campaign was paid; it was to target me politically. There is no fact in it; everything is clear. (Ethanol blending is) import substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous," the minister said.

Mr Gadkari said India spends a massive sum importing fossil fuels and asked if it is not a good move, economically, to try to reduce fossil fuel imports and put the money saved in the Indian economy. "We derived ethanol from makka (maize). Farmers have gained Rs 45,000 crore due to the move," he said.

Speaking about the E20 issue from the pollution perspective, he said, "The world agrees that pollution has to be reduced. A report has found Delhi residents will lose 10 years of life if this level of pollution continues."

E20 petrol refers to a fuel blend of 80 per cent petrol and 20 per cent ethanol. While the government stresses that E20 blending is a game-changer in reducing carbon emissions and fossil fuel imports, vehicle owners claim it has led to lower fuel efficiency and increased wear and tear, which reduces the life of vehicles.

The government has said claims about a big reduction in fuel efficiency are "misplaced". "Vehicle mileage is influenced by a variety of factors beyond just fuel type. These include driving habits, maintenance practices such as oil changes and air filter cleanliness, tyre pressure and alignment, and even air conditioning load," it has said.

The government has argued that E20 petrol gives better acceleration, better ride quality and "most importantly, lowered carbon emissions". "Vehicles tuned for E20 deliver better acceleration which is a very important factor in city driving conditions. Additionally, Ethanol's higher heat of vaporization reduces intake manifold temperatures, increasing air-fuel mixture density and boosting volumetric efficiency."

"The alternative of going back to E-0 Petrol would involve losing the hard fought gains on pollution and the success achieved in energy transition," it has said.