[gkveda]

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has said that he will file an affidavit to the Supreme Court seeking relaxation in the emission norms. He has asked sugar-producing companies to set up ethanol dispensing stations across the stations to ensure timely availability of the fuel when the need comes.

In a webinar organised by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), Nitin Gadkari said,

Why doesn’t the sugar industry start setting up ethanol dispensing stations? That will help the blending programme in the country. The problem is flex engines using a mix of ethanol and petrol of up to 100 percent, are not compliant with BS VI emission norms. But as compared to BS VI petrol engine norms having 20 per cent ethanol, the flex engine where we are using 100 percent ethanol in BS IV, the (resulting) pollution is very negligible. So I will file an affidavit before the SC to seek permission for BS IV norms for the flex petrol engine

Again, another welcome move by the Government IMHO. The emission from vehicles is very negligible compared to industrial emissions, radioactive wastes and other dangerous and e-wastes generated in the world. And the difference between BS6 and BS4 does not mean anything in front of all the above pollution. So, bringing back BS4 is definitely good move.

Source

[ashis89]

Whether the pollution reduces with flex fuel or not, this lack of policy clarity is sure to confuse/piss the automotive manufacturers. If forced to develop BS4 engines which can work with flex fuel, I wouldn't be surprised if they start wrapping up their sales here.

Demand for six airbags across models, flute like horns, developing expressways with speed capacity of 140kmph but configuring alerts on cars at 120kmph, and the list goes on. I wonder what's next on cards?

PS: on a side note, is it the sugar mills lobby at work here?

[abhishek46]

So what will happen to the thousands of crores that was put in by OEMs to meet the BS6?

What will happen to the thousands of crores that was put in by oil companies to produce BS6 fuel?

Earlier there was policy paralysis.
Now, there is policy mutation on daily basis.

[Raghunath Singh]

This statement is sure to cause confusion and agony amongst manufacturers and buyers. Wonder is this the reason why Maruti has not released a diesel engine vehicle yet in the BS6 era?

[saikarthik]

Originally Posted by saikarthik

Recently I read about sugarcane minimum procurement price was increased. And in our country we get ethanol from cane instead of corn like South America. So is there some coinciding interests to cash in before EVs occupy roads?
P.S - Sugarcane is a cash crop which uses more water, so getting ethanol from it is stressing already water stressed areas.

Definitely something fishy going on here with the sugarcane production and ethanol blend.

It's not just the OEMs that have put thousands of crores, it's also the crude oil refining companies, as BS6 requirement is around 10 ppm sulphur. The cost which is passed on to the Indian customers who paid higher car cost and paying for fuel.

I guess he is just talking his mind out loud, but many things might not happen in reality. Remember, even supreme court pushed OEMs by not extending implementation timelines during BS3 to BS4 transition and also urged to take action on riding vehicular pollution.

[DicKy]

Companies that pumped money in to upgrade diesels for BS6 and current owners suffering issues

Maruti be like. Guess who is back.

[dragracer567]

Originally Posted by saikarthik

Definitely something fishy going on here with the sugarcane production and ethanol blend.

Well, its somewhat obvious. The sugar lobby is quite strong in India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lekGy-j619A

[vik99]

What if food grain production is impacted due to agricultural land being diverted to sugarcane cultivation because of demand for ethanol?

[octane_100]

Originally Posted by vik99

What if food grain production is impacted due to agricultural land being diverted to sugarcane cultivation because of demand for ethanol?

Another concern is that Sugarcane needs a lot of water and we are a water deficit country. More Sugarcane cultivation means more stress on water resources.

This is purely sugar lobby at play. Sugar mills are directly or indirectly owned mostly by politicians cutting across party lines. They keep crying about losses year after year and yet continue to run them!!

[karanddd]

So a sugar mill owner who also happens to be a minister has decided to make a rule that will lead to an increased demand for his product? Irrespective of the fact that India is a water stressed country? And the minister wants to reverse to less stringent emission norms despite the air quality in most Indian cities being described as "hazardous"? How we plumb these new lows every day I do not know, but I see this as being symptomatic of a country in sharp decline, socially and economically.

[fordday]

Originally Posted by octane_100

This is purely sugar lobby at play. Sugar mills are directly or indirectly owned mostly by politicians cutting across party lines. They keep crying about losses year after year and yet continue to run them!!

I remember a story shared by a colleague long back. Sugar politicians game the system all the time.

Earlier it was like this. Govt will make a hue and cry about how the sugarcane farmers are exploited by the mills by paying minimum or very less raw cane prices. Govt proposes to buy out the mills and help the farmers thereby. Suppose a sugar mill is worth Rs. 100, govt will buy it at Rs 150. Here the mill owner makes a 50% profit.

After sometime when the govt run mill goes down the drain for obvious reasons, Govt will announce that it has no business running sugar mills and ought to sell them.

Now the same old owner buys it back at Rs 50. In the sell/buy cycle he made a clean 100% profit.

[ronello]

Either the sugar industry lobby is stronger than auto lobby which looks like it is or it needs to be known what data has been presented to the honourable minister and by whom at what point of time for this statement to be made recently after all the various BS6 moves.

[2000rpm]

This is a Flute-like idea, will never get implemented. Relax.

[mayjay]

Looks like a very poor strategy at the Govt. level if this is being seriously considered. The concept of policy predictability will go completely out of the window.
As it stands, the BS6 implementation was brought forward by 3 odd years, giving the auto industry the challenge of putting in investments which they had otherwise not anticipated. Now, this move would not only undo all the hard miles gained from an environmental standpoint, but also throw those investments out of the window.

Never mind that the great ethanol experiment that has been tried in places like US has pushed up food prices and led to increasing use of precious water in drought affected locations.

Wish that for once, Indian officials would develop a long term strategy which is based on consultation with various stakeholders and actually implement it. This would be much better than just haphazardly sharing whatever great ideas come to mind with the media.

[sandeepmdas]

AFAIK the entire Bharat Stage circus is based on and covered under a single order made by the supreme court of India on April 1999. The order effectively made the Government of India almost totally powerless as far as vehicle emissions are concerned. For example, the original verdict used the terms Euro I and Euro II, and the GOI had to obtain the permission from the apex court just to change it to Bharat Stage.

We must also remember that since then, the court has protected the spirit and essence of the original order zealously. Numerous pleas were made to dilute and/or to show leniency ref the emission norms from time to time by all concerned parties, SIAM, GoI, fleet owners, trade unions whatever but all were shot down by the apex court without mercy. Even the very valid reason of Covid19 was rejected.

This latest affidavit by Mr. Gadkari too will get the same reception. I'd be very surprised if it is not.