India: Mandatory use of biofuel in State-owned vehicles recommended

The draft biofuel policy of Karnataka has suggested enacting legislation for mandatory use of biofuel.

The draft policy, which was prepared by a subcommittee of experts, constituted by the Agriculture Department, has proposed the mandatory use of biofuel in all State-owned vehicles, including those of public sector undertakings. It has recommended that use of biofuel should be made mandatory for static machineries, including power generators of the corporate entities.
The committee has suggested popularising the use of bio-fuel by making it mandatory for vehicles of the government agencies and machineries of the corporates, according to biofuel expert Balakrishna Gowda, who is a member of the sub-committee.

To begin with, the draft policy wants the State to continue with the Union Government’s norm of blending five per cent biofuel with fossil fuel and thereafter progressively stepping it up to 10 per cent by 2015, 15 per cent by 2020 and ultimately to reach 20 per cent by 2025.

Of late, much importance is being given to biofuel as it would not only reduce the dependence on fossil fuels but also save foreign exchange. In addition, biofuel would reduce environmental pollution. The policy notes that the use of biofuel has shown substantial reduction in the emission of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide as well as the particulate matter. Hence use of bio-diesel should help in maintaining stringent emission norms in the days to come.

The Hindu