ISMA debunks reports of adulteration of water in ethanol

New Delhi, June 30 (UNI) Sugar producers today termed the reports appearing in a section of the press about the adulteration of water in ethanol-blended petrol baseless.

Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) in a statement said the reports assume that seepage of water into the petrol tanks at the dispensing stations is a common occurrence, disregarding the Market Discipline Guidelines given by the Indian Oil Corporation. If it were so, probably dispensation of petrol itself may have led to unmanageable problems. Except where unscrupulous petrol pump dealers use unethical practices, no problems have been seen, the statement added.

ISMA Director General S L Jain said that like in respect of dispensation of petrol, ethanol blended petrol in the normal circumstances should not cause any problem nor any such problem has ever been reported, eventhough ethanol doped petrol is being dispensed for the past more than three years regularly.

Worldover, the ethanol doping programme has progressed satisfactorily, rapidly. In Brazil upto 25 per cent ethanol is doped into petrol on a regular basis.

In the US similarly, large quantities of ethanol is being doped with petrol; so also in the European Union, China and many other countries, he added.

In this regard, Mr Jain mentioned a quote by Mr N R Raje, former Director of Indian Oil Corporation (R&D) under whose supervision ethanol doping programme was initiated by the Indian Oil Corporation.

In his quote, Mr Raje said ''Each of the fuels used in internal combustion engines has certain typical properties which require certain precautions to be taken during its storage, handling and dispensing. This applies to all fuels including unblended petrol and there is nothing special about ethanol doped fuel. It is preposterous to suggest that presence of water in ethanol blended petrol will ruin the car. Though, water in large amounts is not desirable even in normal petrol. Small amounts of water in ethanol blended petrol will have no effect whatsover.'' UNI