Auto industry body SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) has withdrawn its letter regarding fuel quality concerns after issuing a detailed clarification. The move comes a day after reports based on its July 28 communication sparked widespread debate around E20 fuel contamination and possible damage to vehicle components.
In its clarification, SIAM said certain media reports had cited only partial excerpts of its communication, particularly focusing on chloride and sulphur content in fuel, and sought to place the issue in its proper context. The industry body also reassured consumers that there is “no cause for concern” and reiterated its support for the Government of India’s E20 fuel initiative.
SIAM Says Communication Was Part Of Routine Technical Discussions
According to SIAM, the July 28 communication was part of routine technical deliberations involving industry bodies, oil marketing companies (OMCs), vehicle manufacturers and testing agencies. It added that fuel quality testing under the existing regulatory framework is a comprehensive process covering more than 150 parameters and is regularly undertaken by OMCs.
SIAM also said that some of the figures quoted in its earlier communication require further authentication through collection of elaborate data from different regions of the country, followed by consultation with member OEMs. “The referred numbers reported in the media need authentication as mentioned above and therefore SIAM is withdrawing its earlier communication,” the industry body said in its statement.
Government Had Issued Clarification
The clarification follows a statement from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), which said fuel quality is monitored regularly across the country by oil marketing companies. According to the ministry, additional quality checks have been introduced, including water ingress testing conducted around 8 to 12 times a day at more than 87,000 fuel retail outlets, along with additional inspections after rainfall near petrol pumps. It also stated that over 2,000 fuel samples have been tested for chloride and sulphide contamination.
The ministry added that only two instances of chloride contamination have been detected nationwide so far. Fuel sales from those outlets were immediately suspended, while OMCs have been instructed to strengthen monitoring across the entire fuel supply chain. The government also said strict action will be taken if contamination or adulteration is detected at any retail outlet.
What Triggered The Concern?
The original SIAM letter had reportedly highlighted cases where vehicle fuel samples showed chloride contamination significantly above desirable levels, along with excessive moisture content. According to the communication, these conditions could accelerate corrosion of precision fuel system components and increase replacement of fuel injectors, pumps and EGR valves.
The industry body had also pointed to ageing underground storage tanks and fuel transportation infrastructure as possible contributors, while requesting the government to introduce mandatory chloride limits in E20 fuel specifications.
Issue Not Entirely Closed
Although SIAM has withdrawn its earlier letter, the development does not necessarily indicate that the industry has dismissed fuel quality concerns altogether. Instead, the body has said that broader data collection and further validation are required before arriving at industry-wide conclusions.
With the government maintaining that only isolated contamination cases have been identified and nationwide monitoring has been intensified, the focus is now expected to shift towards stronger quality control measures across the fuel supply chain and continued monitoring of E20 fuel as its adoption expands across India.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
