In fact, the Uttar Pradesh government has come up with the idea of manufacturing gasohol in the state, and it has already submitted its project proposal to the Union government for approval.

The UP government has done a feasibility study on the viability of large-scale commercial production of the automotive fuel substitute, which showed positive results. Uttar Pradesh is a major sugar-cane producing state and has more than 40 big corporate and cooperative distilleries, with a total annual installed capacity of nearly 1,000 million litres. The state produces about 750 million litres of alcohol annually. The state government proposes to convert the industrial alcohol manufactured by these distilleries into gasohol.

Gasohol is a blending of gasoline or petrol with 10 per cent ethanol or grain alcohol. Traditionally, methyl tetra butyl ethanol (MTBE), which has to be imported, is mixed with petrol for ignition. Here again, gasohol has an edge over MTBE as its oxygen content is double that of MTBE's. Further, gasohol, with less carbon content, greatly reduces the emissions of hazardous gases like carbon monoxide and oxides of sulphur. In fact, gasohol, which is itself an unleaded product, is cleaner than `unleaded' petrol.

In its project proposal to the Centre, the UP government has said it can start gasohol production on a commercial scale within six months. The time-lag is for making some necessary adjustments to the distilleries for converting industrial alcohol to gasohol grade.

By adopting cleaner automotive fuels like CNG and gasohol, which enjoy a strong indigenous base, India will not only protect the health of its citizens, it will also save on its petrol import bills. Currently, the country imports five billion litres of petrol per annum. Like CNG, gasohol has also been successfully tested as a cleaner alternative fuel in countries such as the US, Canada, Brazil, France, Spain and many others.

But the question pertinent to India is whether it should adopt a national auto fuel policy, involving just one fuel, or use multiple fuels as in the case of the US? Whatever it chooses, the government should come up with a definite, rational fiscal policy on automotive fuel, for conversion to an alternative fuel from a traditional one involves huge costs in terms of setting up new infrastructure.