The Namakkal Lorry Owners Association (NLOA) has said that it will do all it can to open a biodiesel bunk legally. The spurious fuel that is sold in the market in the name of biodiesel is a harmful fuel that is priced lower than regular diesel. There are around 25,000 trucks in Namakkal alone, and many of them are involved in carrying goods including eggs, broilers and textiles.
R. Vangli, president of the NLOA, said that truckers in his area were unable to afford diesel. “Many lorry owners associations in and around Namakkal run fuel outlets, and some of them offer concessions to their members when they tank up. Our members have been urging us to open a biodiesel bunk so that they can buy this so-called affordable fuel,” he said.
Despite the fact that the spurious fuel spoils vehicles and pollutes more than petrol and diesel, truckers are opting for it as they are in dire need of work as they have families to feed and have to pay salaries to employees. “We cannot sit at home hoping for diesel prices to come down. Diesel takes up around 60% of our expenses in a trip, meaning we run at a loss. Diesel is no longer an essential item, it has become a luxury item. We are forced to run at lower rates since manufacturers are not able to pay higher transportation charges. The State government has only reduced petrol prices,” pointed out a truck fleet owner of Sankagiri near Salem where around 20,000 trucks run.
Another trucker said that this so-called biodiesel is imported and the government knows where it enters the country and should be able to stop it. M.R. Kumarasamy, president State Lorry Owners’ Federation said that the menace of spurious biodiesel outlets had increased over the last year in areas such as Salem, Namakkal, Paramathi, Sankagiri and Thiruchengodu. “Those running these outlets have become bolder over the past few months. But now, the government has swung into action and taken steps to close down these places. Arrests have also been made and vehicles seized,” he added.
Meanwhile, the State-level coordinator for the oil industry and executive director of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., P. Jayadevan, said that the dubious automotive fuel being sold as biodiesel can damage vehicles and pollute the environment. “It has recently been observed that some suppliers of an automotive fuel of dubious quality, purported to be ‘BioDiesel’ are mushrooming in the market and are involved in clandestine marketing of this spurious product. Such suppliers are stealthily operating out of covered nondescript godowns without name boards,” he said.
Genuine biodiesel with specifications of BIS 15607/2016 (B-100) can be marketed only with the prior approval of the State government. The premises selling biodiesel should have valid statutory licenses, meeting Class B petroleum safety standards. It is understood that the State government has not issued authorisation for marketing of biodiesel to anyone other than the oil marketing companies, he said. Selling spurious products in the name of biodiesel directly to end users such as road transporters and other industrial users is illegal and punishable, he added.
Genuine biodiesel can be sold only for the purpose of blending with Hi-Speed Diesel (HSD) up to 7%, as allowed in the National Biofuel policy 2018. In markets like Salem, Namakkal, Sankari, Tuticorin, Erode and Coimbatore, the unauthorised sale of this spurious product has been heavily polluting the environment and damaging vehicles. The product is also harmful to public health besides causing huge revenue loss to the exchequer, Mr. Jayadevan said
