The Hindu Business Line : Bio-ethanol

This is with reference to “Oil cos struggle to meet ethanol blending norm” (Business Line, September 10). The policy of ethanol blending in our country is stymied largely by the poor attitude by State governments. The Ex cise Department of Tamil Nadu, for example, is too rigid in issuing licences to bio-diesel industries, for fear that the input material may be diverted for illegal consumption, with the risk of consequent casualties. It is essential that a comprehensive policy be evolved to encourage both ethanol blending units and bio-diesel units from jatropha oil. Brazil produces enough sugar and spirits from the cane inputs, and the balance is converted into ethanol. That country today has the maximum number of cars running on ethanol.

The Government of India must break the monopoly of many inter-governmental agencies which control the manufacture of ethanol. Too many levies are threatening to kill the ethanol industry even before it has taken off in any significant way. It is time the planners took bold and radical steps to break this impasse in ethanol blending.

The Government should encourage small units to produce ethanol from sweet sorghum and sugar beets. This was introduced by the government of Tamil Nadu but not carried forward properly. The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University should play a dominant role in shaping the policies in bio-ethanol manufacture.

It is time India seized the opportunity and entered this potentially lucrative area of bio-ethanol manufacturing. If it misses the bus with this commodity too, it would be another case like the cement imports.

S. A. Alagarsamy Chennai

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