Supreme Court asks Centre how fuel will be assured for E-100 vehicles running on pure ethanol

New Delhi: The Centre has brought in a policy for flex-fuel vehicles that run on 100 per cent ethanol fuel. These vehicles are called E-100 vehicles. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre how the supply of fuel to these vehicles will be assured.

Responding to the court's question, Attorney General R. Venkataramani said that large-scale changes would have to be made in the production system for this. He said the government would inform the court about this. The Supreme Court then adjourned the next hearing in the matter to next month.

During the hearing, the Bench also pointed to the need to empower farmers. Justice Sundaresh said the problem had to be viewed from the perspective of wider public interest and the environment. He said the interests of the country's large population, especially farmers living in villages and rural areas, also had to be kept in mind.

Justice Sundaresh said: "From the point of view of the country's large population, the third aspect that seems most important to me is the farmer. We should pay attention to how farmers can be empowered. Nobody speaks about this at all."

The Attorney General said that during arguments in the case he would also address the questions concerning farmers. He also said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had on October 26 notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

Under these amendments, vehicles running on E-100, that is, almost pure ethanol, have also been brought within the rules. Earlier, provision existed for vehicles running on fuels with a higher ethanol blend such as E-85. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that there is no immediate plan to raise the ethanol blend in petrol beyond the current 20 per cent.

E-100 vehicles are those that run on 100 per cent ethanol fuel. The court has asked the Centre how fuel supply for such vehicles will be assured, and the matter will now be heard next month.