‘Green’ ethanol gets saffron signal

What was a saffron outfit doing promoting a ‘green’ function? Touting the ‘swadeshi’ value of gasohol, an ethanol-blende...

What was a saffron outfit doing promoting a ‘green’ function? Touting the ‘swadeshi’ value of gasohol, an ethanol-blended petrol, and bio-diesel — the safer versions of petrol and diesel — to make them more accessible to the public.

The two-day conference, organised by the Centre for Bhartiya Marketing Development (CBMD), a unit of the Swadeshi Jagaran Foundation, began here today here with 250 stake-holders.

And a galaxy of political heavyweights, including L K Advani, who inaugurated it, petroleum minister Ram Naik and bureaucrats and technocrats from IIT, the Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Petroleum, major sugar mills, farmers and even from petroleum companies like IOC and BPCL.

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The CBMD believes these fuels are ‘swadeshi’ because they will save foreign exchange, help sugarcane farmers and also bail out the sugar industry.

Ethanol, a by-product of the sugar industry, has been used as transport fuel in Brazil for around 30 years. Bio-diesel uses extracts from vegetable oils and fats that is mixed with diesel and both fuels can be used for vehicles without altering the engine.

In fact, the government issued a notification last week asking nine states — including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh — and four union territories, including Chandigarh, to supply petrol blended with 5% ethanol from January 2003. The fuels have received rave reviews in-house. Gasohol, says Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, ‘‘is indigenous, renewable and pollution-free’’. And reducing pollution, according to them is only a fringe benefit. ‘‘The nation’s wealth will go back to the bhumiputra (farmers),’’ S Gurumurthy of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch delivering his address.

‘‘We have been working on this for the last three-four years, when our experts began doing an in-depth study. We’ve been preparing for the convention for the past three-four months’’, said Anil Gachke, member-secretary CBMD. having prepared a concept note on the project’s viability, the unit will present a report to the government after the workshop.

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CBMD has already successfully lobbied with the government in two significant cases big cases: against Enron’s entry into the country and in cancelling deep-sea fishing licenses to MNCs. It has organised 35 swadeshi, vigyan and vanvasi melas.

‘‘We are networking for various bodies and working as a thrust group to develop government policies in favour of this,’’ Gachke said while explaining its role in promoting these fuels.

India has been dabbling in this for the last 30 years and has set up at least 10 committees since 1977. ‘‘It is because of the oil lobby that the country could not benefit from this, now it is time we make the public aware of ethanol’s benefits’’, said Gachke.