'Petroleum lobby' behind stories against ethanol blending: Gadkari

NEW DELHI: Days after Supreme Court rejected a PIL challenging the nationwide rollout of 20% ethanol-blended (E20) petrol, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari Wednesday blamed "petrol lobby" and other "interests" behind the social media stories against blending, reports Pankaj Doval.

"Everywhere there are lobbies, there are interests... petrol lobby is very rich," he said when asked about the spate of social media posts where consumers could be seen complaining about reduction of mileage and damage to engine of older vehicles due to the E20 fuel.

At the Auto Retail Conclave organised by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), Gadkari said that ethanol - produced from sugarcane, broken rice and other agricultural products- is expected to help reduce India's dependence on foreign oil.