New Delhi, July 7 -- Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he would write to three major automakers, seeking written assurances that the use of E20 fuel does not damage engines or reduce mileage.
He also said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the "strong protest" by people against ethanol blending and would urge him that the fuel be made optional.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal named Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar and Hero MotoCorp, alleging that their public statements contradicted the guidance in the owner manuals of their vehicles.
"I will write letters to all of them... I will tell them that your owner manual says one thing, but you are saying something else. Give in writing that if the mileage of your vehicle drops by more than 10 per cent, will you compensate the customer," Kejriwal said.
"If using E20 ethanol in your vehicle damages the vehicle or causes wear and tear, will you compensate for the replacement of those components?," Kejriwal added.
There was no immediate response from the three companies.
Kejriwal further alleged that government was misleading people by claiming that India was not the first country to adopt ethanol-blended fuel.
"This is only half the truth. In those countries, the ethanol blend is generally below E10. Ordinary vehicles can use up to E10, but not beyond that," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.