Chandigarh: The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution against the Centre’s E20 ethanol blended fuel policy, expressing concern over damage to non-compliant vehicles.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema brought the resolution in the House on the second day of the monsoon session of the Punjab Assembly here.
While presenting the resolution, Cheema also questioned why the implementation of E20 fuel policy has been advanced as against the earlier target of implementing it in 2030.
Cheema accused the BJP-led Centre of bowing before the US for implementing E20 fuel policy which is the largest producer of ethanol.
Participating in a debate on the resolution, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleged that without getting recommendation from experts, E20 fuel has been “imposed” on people in the country.
There has been no expert study on the use of E20, he said, adding that vehicles are getting damaged because of E20 fuel.
E20 fuel was supposed to be implemented in 2030 and why it was implemented in 2026, he asked.
Why there was hurry in its implementation, Mann further asked as he took on the Centre over E20.
Mann demanded that an option be given to vehicle owners in choosing out of E20 fuel and pure petrol.
