New Delhi, 31 August (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a petition seeking that the percentage of ethanol blended into petrol sold at fuel stations be displayed and that the ethanol content also be mentioned on petrol purchase receipts. A bench headed by Justice M.M. Sundresh said the petitioner was free to approach the High Court.

The petition was filed by advocate N.K. Goswami. It stated that the petitioner was not opposed to the policy of selling E20 petrol, which contains 20 per cent ethanol, but maintained that consumers have the right to know what they are purchasing. He pointed out that petrol receipts do not mention the ethanol content. During the hearing, the petitioner submitted that the Attorney General had earlier told the Supreme Court that experiments were being conducted concerning ethanol, but the government subsequently denied the claim.

Goswami argued during the hearing that the matter was not related to his personal interest but concerned the interests of the general public. In response, the Attorney General said that a similar petition had already been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Earlier, a petition filed before the Supreme Court had alleged that E20 petrol was adversely affecting vehicle engines and reducing fuel mileage. The petition further stated that several countries provide ethanol-blended fuels while also making petrol without ethanol available as an alternative. In India, however, consumers are allegedly neither provided with an alternative to ethanol-blended petrol nor given complete information about its ethanol content.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar