Rajasthan HC revokes ban on sale of bio-diesel in the state

Jaipur: Hearing the petition filed by Kotyark Industries Pvt Ltd and Yamuna Bio Energy Pvt Ltd who termed the ban of sale of biodiesel in Rajasthan a violation of Central government’s directive allowing the direct sale, the Rajasthan High Court quashed state bio-fuel authority’s earlier order on banning the retail sale of biodiesel in the state.

While quashing the ban order, the single bench panel headed by Justice S P Sharma said that the authorities should initiate action against the outlets not selling quality biodiesel instead of banning the whole product altogether.

The State Biofuel Authority through an order in April 4, 2017, directed all district collectors stop the setting up of biodiesel outlets. The Panchayati Raj department, the nodal department of the biofuel said there were many companies producing biofuel had invited applications for setting up of biodiesel in the state and this is not in accordance with the union government directive. According to the central government, biodiesel could be sold directly only to bulk consumers.

The state government’s order pointed out that the Central government in August 2015 had permitted direct sale of bio diesel (B-100) for blending with high speed diesel to bulk consumers in accordance with the standards specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards to railways, state transport undertakings and other bulk consumers having minimum requirement of bio diesel for their own consumption not less than 12000 litres.

However, in the recent order, the court said the state authority had to work according to the national policy and set aside the ban order.