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The big talking point of this episode of News Today is the monsoon mayhem in Mumbai and across Western India.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your prime time destination. News, newsmakers, talking points,
00:06our big talking point, monsoon mayhem in Mumbai and across western India. Landslides have hit the Mumbai Pune, missing link
00:16along the expressway, the newly inaugurated project.
00:19The big question we will raise tonight, why isn't our infrastructure monsoon ready? Also, what exactly is the Rao over
00:29using E20 blended petrol, ethanol petrol at question two will be answered.
00:36But first, as always, it's time for the nine headlines at nine.
00:40Sweeping changes at the Ram Mandil Trust amidst the donation theft case, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, senior officials' resignations,
00:50accepted Krishna Mohan, named interim general secretary of the Ram Mandil Trust.
00:57Heavy rains and waterlogged roads bring Mumbai to a standstill. At least six killed after a three-story chawl collapses
01:05in Mumbai. Landslide hits the Mumbai Pune Expressway, bringing traffic to a halt.
01:13Shocking rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Bengal's South 24 Porganaz.
01:19Key accused, along with two others arrested, Mamata Banerjee hits the street. Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asshaws justice.
01:29Another TVK MLA alleges a poaching bid by DMK claims that he was offered 30 to 50 crores to jump
01:35ship. DMK netas deny the horse trading charges.
01:41Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Indonesia. The first stop of his three-nation tour will hold bilateral talks with
01:47President Subianto. Discussions likely on a Brahmo's missile deal.
01:54It's day three of Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral in Iran. Mortal remains taken to the holy city of Qom. He will
02:01be buried at his birthplace, Mashah, on July 9th.
02:07Diljeet Dosan Sutlej takes off from, taken off from OTT platform Z5. Actor says he's happy with the response movie
02:15received. Film based on life of activist Jaswan Singh Khera sparks off a political debate across Punjab over the ban.
02:26UEFA European football team slam FIFA for overturning red cards to USA striker Polarine Balagoon ahead of their match.
02:36Tomorrow reports say FIFA reconsidered that decision after US President Donald Trump intervened.
02:45And no Sanju Samson, 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi named as BCCI announced a 15-member squad for the T20
02:54series against Zimbabwe.
03:06Okay, but let's start with the big story that's breaking on the Ram Mandir theft, where the Chanda Chori has
03:12forced the Shri Ram Mandir Trust to go in for an overhaul.
03:16Champat Rai, the controversial General Secretary and Anil Mishra, their resignations have been accepted.
03:22The duo will be out till a fair and impartial probe concludes, is what the Ram Trust has said after
03:30a three-hour-long meeting.
03:32Krishna Mohan has been named an interim General Secretary.
03:37The sweeping changes that have taken place after that meeting, listen in to what the Trust members had to say.
04:12Shri Ram Mandir, the President of the U.S.
04:17Okay, so sweeping changes are being promised now in the trust team after this three-hour
04:23meet. For now, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra, two senior officials who found themselves
04:29in the eye of the storm. Remember, officials close to Champat Rai are the ones who are
04:35accused of the loot of many of the donations that were made to the trust over a period of time.
04:44Champat Rai had earlier announced his resignation. It's now been accepted. Samarth Shrivastav
04:49joins us. Samarth, there's talk of sweeping changes, but at the moment it seems those changes
04:55are confined to Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. What about the other trust members? Are they
05:01also willing to step down pending an inquiry?
05:09Well, exactly Rajdeep, I must tell you another update has just come that Govind Rao has been
05:13in a way removed from the trust because his involvement also came to the light and when
05:18as per the sources, police interrogated the three people, especially Champat Rai, Anil Mishra
05:22and Govind Rao, many things came to the light. But if you talk about current Govind, the Giri's
05:26press conference, he clearly looks to save Champat Rai in a way and says that Champat Rai
05:31himself came in and said whatever has happened is not good and I must take the responsibility
05:36of whatever has happened and that's why I'm giving this resignation letter to you and later
05:41he clearly says as per the bylaw of the temple trust, once a trust member gives the resignation
05:47paper, it's not about accepting or denying that particular paper. It is called, it is admitted
05:52that they have resigned, that's what he has clearly said as per the, as per, he is the
05:58structural of the Ram temple trust, Govind Giri. So in a way he is trying to say that Champat
06:02Rai himself gave the resignation, Anil Mishra himself gave the resignation. He further says
06:08that SIT report will come in some time and later on 22nd of July another trust meeting will
06:14happen after the final report of the SIT and then in that particular report things will come
06:18to the light, who is responsible for this, whether few other members of the trust were
06:22involved or not. All this will come in the final report of the SIT that will be coming
06:28maybe in the second week of July because 15 days time has been extended to them. Apart
06:33from that if you see in particular meeting all seat, all members are quite upset with the updates.
06:42Okay, so what you've got is some kind of a damage limitation exercise that is on. The question
06:47is will we now see a complete overhaul of the way the Shri Ram Mandil trust has been administered
06:54over the last few years. Thanks very much Samar Srivastav for joining us.
07:03Okay, let's turn from there to our other big talking point of the day because incessant rain
07:09more in four days than Mumbai gets in a month has brought India's financial capital to its knees.
07:16In fact, large parts of Western India are under water today. We saw the effects of it on the Mumbai
07:23Pune expressway where the newly inaugurated missing link suffered a landslide bringing traffic to a halt.
07:32We're also being told that Nashik has now got an alert for a potential cloudburst that could take place.
07:38All of this is now even seen politics speaking with the opposition claiming that the governments of the day are
07:45setting up massive infrastructure projects but not making them monsoon ready.
07:52Here is a report on all that's been happening in the monsoon fury across Western India.
08:22Mumbai's infrastructure ford lines exposed yet again.
08:33Just two months after its inauguration, the Mumbai Pune expressway, missing link,
08:38was closed on Monday after a landslide hit one of the tunnels.
08:44The 13-kilometer section has two major tunnels and bypasses the Khandala Ghat.
08:53After its closure, traffic was diverted to the old route.
09:02We are right now on the Mumbai Pune expressway and this is the missing link that had been inaugurated
09:08about two months ago. But right now, you can see how this entire landslide has happened
09:16around Monday 4 o'clock in the morning and since then, amidst heavy rainfall, gusty wind that you can see
09:23here,
09:23they are trying to restore this entire way.
09:28In Palgarh, a part of a flyover on the Mumbai Ahmedabad National Highway caved in.
09:38The impacted portion was repaired just last week.
09:41But it did not withstand the latest bout of rains.
09:50The Mumbai Goa Highway 2 saw hours long traffic jams after heavy rains led to water logging at many places.
10:00Trains and flights to India's financial capital were also affected.
10:09Over 85 rail services have been affected, many trains have been cancelled, many long distance trains have been cancelled,
10:16many have been short terminated, many have been diverted.
10:19The rail services between Mumbai and Pune are affected and that is due to the landslide that happened behind me
10:27at the ground zero, which is between Thakurwadi cabin and Monkey Hill cabin, which is in the guard section.
10:34Six people, including five children, were killed in a building collapse in Mankhud on Sunday.
10:42Roads in Chembour, Kurla, Andheri and Dadar were heavily waterlogged.
10:53The BMC declared a holiday for all schools and colleges.
11:03The state assembly did not convene on Monday.
11:06The city of Mumbai, like the city, has been very high.
11:14Mumbai, which is a average of one month, has been almost 4 days.
11:21The people have been working from home and the people have been appealed to that
11:24people have been out of the house and have been out of the house.
11:30The city of Mumbai has been out of the house.
11:33The city has been out of the house.
11:36A month's rain in just four days.
11:42Tuesday could be more challenging for Maharashtra.
11:46The Met Department has issued a cloudburst alert for Nashik.
11:53With Vidya, Bureau Report, India Today.
12:00So as large parts of Western India, particularly Mumbai and Maharashtra,
12:04battling the rain fury, let's raise the big questions.
12:08Why isn't our infrastructure more monsoon ready?
12:12What will it take to create world-class infrastructure,
12:16whether it's highways, bridges, roads?
12:18Those are the key questions I want to pose.
12:20Joining me now, Chandrasekhar Prabhu, urban development expert.
12:24He's been tracking this issue for years.
12:26Vaibhav Dange, public policy expert on infrastructure
12:29and member board of governors.
12:30I am Nagpur.
12:31Also, Sanjay Hubadeh, he's former secretary for Mumbai development,
12:35government of Maharashtra,
12:36and was responsible for many of the infrastructure projects.
12:39And Shaina NC, national spokesperson of the ruling Shiv Sena Shinde in Maharashtra.
12:45Let's first go straight to you, Shaina NC,
12:48because I want to get the politics out of the way.
12:50The manner in which this landslide has taken place,
12:54just near the missing link,
12:55this grand project that was inaugurated by the Phatnavis government
12:59just nine weeks ago at a cost of 6,695 crores,
13:04India's tallest cable state bridge,
13:07the landslide and the fact that the retaining wall was affected,
13:12traffic affected,
13:13all of that has led people to question,
13:16where can the government of Maharashtra
13:19or indeed any Indian government claim
13:20they are building world-class infrastructure
13:23which is not monsoon ready.
13:25The opposition is saying huge cost escalation
13:28and this is an example, according to them,
13:32of corruption.
13:32I'm quoting Aditya Thakre of the Shiv Sena UBT here.
13:40Look, Rajdeep, let me be very frank.
13:43You know Mumbai, Maharashtra
13:46as well as any other citizen.
13:48The fact is we had 588 mm of rainfall in four days.
13:54That is 25% of the annual monsoon
13:57and 74% of it just in July.
14:00Now, obviously, when you have incessant rain
14:05and all kinds of wind pressures,
14:08if we talk about Mumbai,
14:10Mumbai to add has a low density,
14:12I mean, has low lying areas,
14:15high density population of one and a half crores
14:18and a radius of 603 square kilometers.
14:22Having said that,
14:23what our demand is that the BMC for Mumbai,
14:27and I will come to your question as well,
14:29as we have a structural audit for buildings,
14:32we should have a structural audit
14:34when it comes to trees,
14:35when it comes to manholes,
14:37and when it comes to potholes.
14:38And to tell you the good news,
14:4080% of the pothole work,
14:42which is foolproof,
14:43that is which never happened in the past,
14:45has happened,
14:46because this is done with
14:48and absolutely ready to roll for public.
14:53And the fact that we have been able
14:55to achieve this in itself
14:57is a step in the right direction.
14:59There are certain flood prone zones in Mumbai,
15:02like there are about 403 out of 498,
15:05which have been treated completely.
15:07And the balance,
15:09yes,
15:09when you have one and a half crore population
15:11and you have such lacunas,
15:14which you have seen,
15:15be it three stakeholders,
15:17the citizens,
15:18the elected representatives,
15:20and of course,
15:21the administration,
15:22the war room is working round the clock.
15:24Now this answers for Mumbai
15:26coming to what you saw at the Missing Link.
15:28When you have incessant rain
15:33coupled with this kind of windy breezes, etc.,
15:40I think that we need to use technology and AI
15:43to the best of our ability.
15:44And that is the other appeal of the Shiv Sena,
15:47that use AI and technology
15:49to map every square inch
15:50so we can make sure we don't have landslides
15:53or if we have landslides,
15:55we are in a position to contain it
15:57through our disaster management.
15:58And the war room has been working tirelessly.
16:01Let me please say on record,
16:02even in Mumbai,
16:04Ashwini Bhideji,
16:05who has done an exemplary job
16:07as an administrator,
16:09be it the coastal road or the metros,
16:12has tried to do exactly the same for Mumbai.
16:15So we can come up with all kinds of faults,
16:17but we also need to understand collectively
16:20that there are new challenges
16:21and we are bracing them collectively.
16:27You know, I am not doubting the challenges.
16:29I am also not doubting the incessant rainfall
16:32that has taken place.
16:33I am only going on record now.
16:35According to Aditya Thakre,
16:37while on the way to Pune and back,
16:39I noticed and stated publicly
16:40that not even 50 feet of the road is flat.
16:43It is all undulated
16:45and feels like one is sitting in a boat
16:46riding the waves.
16:48We have already seen potholes emerge
16:50right across the Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway,
16:52other highways also Delhi, Deradun.
16:54So there is a larger question.
16:55Is your government willing to confront
16:57this allegation that there has been
16:59A, cost escalation,
17:01and B, the work has not been up to the standard
17:03according to Aditya Thakre
17:05and the opposition in Maharashtra,
17:07but also when we actually witness
17:09the kind of potholes
17:11that have come on the Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway.
17:16Look, we want to use technology
17:19to the best of our advantage.
17:20Mr. Aditya Thakre may sit and critique
17:23on his high house.
17:24I am glad that he has finally stepped out
17:26of his home
17:26to realize what the challenges
17:28and the lacunas are on grounds.
17:30Our Shiv Senics have been on ground
17:3324 by 7, whether it is railway stations
17:36or on ground to see that we,
17:38if there is any flooding
17:40to bring it to the notice of the BMC.
17:43And in this particular case,
17:45when you talk about infrastructure,
17:47please do understand,
17:48our leader Eknadji Shinde
17:50and Devendra Farnaves
17:51and the Mahayuti
17:52have pioneered many monumental projects.
17:55It is unfortunate
17:56if you have a landslide in certain places,
17:59but the wrath of nature
18:00also needs to be looked at collectively.
18:03We cannot just be pointing figures
18:05if we don't come up
18:06with a conclusive solution.
18:08There have been costs
18:09which have been shown in the past
18:11which are escalated.
18:12For the first time,
18:13you have everything which is contained,
18:15even like to give you an example
18:16of the Mithi river cleaning.
18:19You know, 99% was done
18:21before monsoon this time.
18:22You've had technology
18:24and smart IT pumps
18:26which have tracked real monitoring
18:29and flooding in so many spots.
18:31And as far as the roads
18:33and potholes are concerned,
18:34the 48 crore pothole budget
18:37of which, you know,
18:39you've had no faulty errors
18:41as far as a foolproof measure
18:43because that has been a commitment
18:45of the Mahayuti
18:46saying year after year,
18:47we don't want to be working
18:49with contractors
18:49who are looting the system,
18:51but it has to be a foolproof measure.
18:53But everything takes time.
18:55It's not a magic wand.
18:56And looking at this incessant rain,
18:58we need the rain too.
18:59But it comes with its challenges.
19:01So I think whether it's
19:02an infrastructure project
19:03or domestic VMC,
19:06the war rooms are in play,
19:08technology is in play,
19:09and I'm sure we will be
19:10in a better position
19:11year after year
19:12because even if you, Rajdeep,
19:14compare the numbers
19:15of the previous years
19:16to 2026,
19:17you will only see an improvement.
19:23You know,
19:24I know that politicians
19:26say that time is,
19:28you need all of this,
19:29you need to give it time,
19:30but time is not on the side
19:32of citizens, unfortunately.
19:33I just want to for a moment,
19:35therefore,
19:35take it beyond the politics.
19:37And Chandrasekhar Prabhu,
19:38the government of the day
19:39calls it an act of God,
19:41saying that,
19:41look, we gave red alerts,
19:43but we cannot,
19:45this is the kind of rainfall
19:47if in two days
19:48you get 25% of the rainfall
19:49for an entire month,
19:51many are attributed
19:52to climate change.
19:53There's only so much
19:54infrastructure can cope up.
19:57So when we talk
19:57of world-class infrastructure
19:59across the world,
20:00when you have acts of God
20:01as the government
20:02is calling it,
20:03there's only so much
20:04governments can do.
20:05Do you go along with this
20:06or do you believe
20:06that the missing link highway,
20:08for example,
20:08was hastily done
20:09because there was a need
20:11to sort of project
20:12what the government
20:12has achieved?
20:14Rajdeep,
20:15on issues
20:16such as this,
20:18which are of a very
20:19serious nature
20:20and affect the people,
20:22I think we should
20:24be wary
20:25of taking
20:27politicians'
20:30reactions to it.
20:31Three years ago
20:32when there was
20:33some other
20:36dispensation
20:37which was ruling
20:38Maharashtra,
20:39check your own
20:40videos
20:41of what
20:42these politicians,
20:43what the ruling
20:45class was saying
20:46and what the opposition.
20:48There,
20:49when it rains more
20:50and it floods,
20:52the opposition
20:53says that the ruling
20:54class is corrupt
20:56and the ruling
20:57class says that
20:58this rain
20:59has been unprecedented.
21:01These are
21:02stereotype
21:03answers.
21:04They make
21:05no sense
21:06whatsoever.
21:07The public
21:08is fed up
21:10of all the
21:11politicians.
21:11the public
21:12feels that
21:13they are
21:14all
21:15cheats
21:16and they
21:17take the
21:18public for a
21:18ride.
21:19So for a
21:20moment,
21:21keep these
21:22political
21:22things away.
21:24They are doing
21:25their job
21:25of defending
21:27this thing.
21:28They will talk
21:29besides the point.
21:30They will not
21:31come on the
21:32thing.
21:337,000 crores
21:35get spent
21:35on the
21:38missing link.
21:40When it was
21:41done,
21:42do they not
21:43know that
21:44that area
21:46gets the
21:47kind of
21:48rains that
21:48it is?
21:49Is it for the
21:50first time
21:51that in
21:51four days
21:52so much
21:53rain has
21:53happened?
21:54In one day,
21:55300 mm
21:56has happened
21:57in the past.
21:58So we know
21:59as planners,
22:00as experts,
22:02we know
22:02that when
22:03we make
22:04these
22:04infrastructure
22:05projects,
22:06we provide
22:07for at
22:09least 50
22:10to 100
22:11percent more
22:13rain than
22:14what is the
22:15maximum in
22:16the past
22:17100 years.
22:18And it's
22:19designed for
22:20that.
22:20In fact,
22:21most of our
22:22bridges are
22:23over-designed
22:24in the sense
22:25they put in
22:26extra material.
22:28Politicians say
22:29that this
22:30extra material
22:31is for
22:32increasing
22:33the cost
22:33and so
22:35on.
22:36But,
22:36you know,
22:37they are
22:37supposed to
22:38be designed
22:39for these
22:40kind of
22:40rains.
22:41So you
22:41cannot blame
22:42nature every
22:43time.
22:44Every time
22:45whoever is
22:46in the ruling
22:47party says
22:48it is the
22:49rains,
22:50it's nature,
22:51it is God,
22:51and whoever
22:52is in the
22:53opposition
22:54says it
22:55is the
22:56corruption.
22:57Let us
22:58accept that
22:59there is
22:59corruption
23:00and all
23:01these
23:02failures of
23:04infrastructure
23:04is a result
23:05of corruption.
23:06Can someone
23:07put his
23:08hand to the
23:08heart and
23:09say that
23:09there is
23:10no
23:10corruption?
23:11I can
23:11show you
23:12innumerable
23:13examples of
23:14corruption
23:15happening
23:15day in
23:16and day
23:17out.
23:17So while
23:20we
23:20discuss,
23:21even
23:22discussing
23:22that these
23:23are serious
23:24issues of
23:25infrastructure,
23:26they involve
23:27technical
23:28issues of
23:29design,
23:30they involve
23:31failure of
23:32the system
23:33of monitoring,
23:36they involve
23:37failure of
23:38the process
23:39of awarding
23:40tenders,
23:41they involve
23:42failure of
23:44the process
23:44of not
23:45understanding.
23:46The
23:48organization
23:48which gives
23:49tender is
23:51not at
23:52all equipped,
23:53it's
23:54incompetent to
23:55calculate the
23:56quality of
23:57what is
23:57happening.
23:58So they
23:59just don't
23:59know,
24:00they just
24:00don't know.
24:01The
24:01politicians
24:03besides...
24:03Okay,
24:04so you're
24:04saying,
24:06you made
24:07that point,
24:08you're saying
24:09you cannot
24:09simply dismiss
24:10it as an
24:11act of
24:11God.
24:12Let me
24:12just explain
24:13to our
24:13viewers across
24:14the nation,
24:15what's the
24:16Mumbai-Pune
24:17Expressway
24:18missing link?
24:19Inaugurated
24:19by Devendra
24:20Fadnavish,
24:21Chief Minister
24:21of Maharashtra
24:22on the
24:231st of May,
24:24the project
24:24costs 6,695
24:26crores.
24:27It's a
24:2713.3
24:28kilometre
24:29bypass that
24:30comes near
24:31the Khandala
24:31Ghat.
24:32It makes
24:32it easier
24:33for you to
24:34move from
24:34Mumbai to
24:35Pune.
24:35It's
24:36India's
24:36tallest
24:36cable
24:37state
24:38bridge,
24:388.9
24:39kilometres,
24:401.6
24:41kilometres
24:41long
24:42tunnels,
24:42and shortens
24:43the route
24:44by 6
24:44kilometres,
24:45travel time
24:46by 30
24:46minutes.
24:47Many
24:47believe it
24:48is a bit
24:48of a marvel
24:49in terms
24:49of its
24:50engineering
24:50quality,
24:51but there
24:51are now
24:52questions being
24:53raised.
24:53Was it
24:55inaugurated
24:55too quickly,
24:56hastily on
24:57May 1?
24:58Should it
24:58have been
24:59tested more?
25:00Sanjay Ubali,
25:01what's your
25:01sense?
25:02Because
25:02Deventar
25:03Fundivist
25:03has been
25:03pitched as
25:04Mr.
25:04Infrastructure,
25:05the coastal
25:06road in
25:07Mumbai has
25:07won him a
25:08lot of
25:08praise.
25:09Now you've
25:10got the
25:10missing link
25:10which is
25:11earning him
25:12a lot of
25:12criticism.
25:13Is the
25:13criticism
25:14justified
25:14in some
25:15way as
25:16Chandrasekha
25:16Prabhu seems
25:17to suggest
25:17don't blame
25:18the act
25:19of God?
25:29You have
25:29to unmute
25:30Sanjay,
25:30please unmute.
25:33Okay,
25:34so praise
25:34and criticism
25:35both go
25:36hand in
25:36hand.
25:36It cannot
25:37be just
25:37one way.
25:38So what
25:39I would
25:39really like
25:40is first
25:41of all,
25:42you know,
25:42what has
25:42happened is
25:43unfortunate and
25:44it shouldn't
25:45have happened.
25:45Every engineer
25:47versus salt
25:47would know
25:48that that's
25:49not how
25:50it's supposed
25:50to be and
25:51it's probably
25:52going to cost
25:53a lot of
25:54money to
25:54rebuild that
25:55portion of
25:55the bridge.
25:57So I think
25:58what has
25:58happened,
25:58we have to
25:59accept that
25:59it is not
26:00correct.
26:01Whatever the
26:01circumstances
26:02might be,
26:02we know
26:02that that
26:03particular area
26:04is prone
26:05to landslides.
26:07We know
26:07that the
26:07rainfall out
26:08there is
26:09very intense.
26:10So we have
26:11to design
26:12around it and
26:12engineers are
26:13good at
26:13designing these
26:14kinds of
26:14structures.
26:15So I think
26:16it's important
26:16that we
26:17accept
26:18responsibility
26:19for what
26:19has happened
26:20and take
26:21corrective
26:21action so
26:22it doesn't
26:22really happen
26:22again.
26:23Because the
26:24moment we
26:24start defending
26:25this, the
26:26worry to the
26:26citizens is
26:27that what if
26:27this happens
26:28again?
26:28Are we going
26:29to have
26:29another excuse
26:30in place to
26:31see that we're
26:31able to somehow
26:32wash over that
26:32incident?
26:33So I think
26:34it's important
26:34that incidents
26:35of this kind
26:36should be
26:36somebody needs
26:37to take
26:38responsibility,
26:38somebody needs
26:39to go into
26:40detail, do an
26:40audit and say
26:41this is what
26:41has happened,
26:42probably even
26:43blacklist the
26:44people who
26:44probably were
26:45responsible for
26:45designing of
26:46the bridge or
26:47even construction
26:48and then take
26:49it forward, make
26:50it available to
26:51the people saying
26:51that we've taken
26:52action in this
26:53particular case, we
26:54took responsibility
26:55and took action.
26:56That's really what
26:56I think the people
26:57would like to
26:58know.
26:59Nobody's really
26:59asking for
27:01anything else.
27:02I don't even want
27:02to get into a
27:03political slutfest.
27:04But I think
27:04while bokehs are
27:06given, I think
27:07some brickbats
27:07also are a
27:09part of the
27:09passer.
27:13So what you're
27:14saying, Sanjay,
27:15is you want
27:16transparency.
27:17You see, there
27:19seems to be when
27:20these projects are
27:21announced, questions
27:22over cost
27:23escalation, how
27:24tenders were
27:24given, how the
27:27process was
27:28conducted, structural
27:29design questions,
27:31you're saying all
27:31of this should be
27:32put out in the
27:33public domain, so
27:34that when things
27:35go wrong, you
27:36know where the
27:37blame is to be
27:38fixed.
27:38Am I correct?
27:40Exactly.
27:40And not only
27:41that, next time
27:42somebody builds
27:43it, somebody
27:43designs it, knows
27:44that in case
27:45something of this
27:46kind happens, they
27:47would be exposed.
27:47So they are very
27:48careful about doing
27:50anything wrong at
27:50that time.
27:54And you would
27:55say blacklist
27:56of issues, because
27:56the government,
27:57Sanjay, is saying
27:58there are no
27:58structural weaknesses,
27:59that this was a
28:00landslide caused
28:01by the heavy
28:01rain, don't blame
28:03the structural
28:03issues.
28:04As I said, there
28:04are questions being
28:05raised, not just
28:06about the missing
28:08link, but about
28:09craters, potholes
28:10across our highways,
28:11Mumbai, Ahmedabad,
28:12Delhi, Deradun,
28:13Ganga Expressway.
28:14Are you saying
28:15every time a major
28:17project is undertaken,
28:18whether it's a
28:18highway project, a
28:20missing link project,
28:21a bridge, all of
28:22this needs to, all
28:23the details need to
28:24be put out in the
28:25public domain.
28:26So if there are
28:27cost escalations,
28:28people can ask
28:29legitimate questions.
28:30Am I correct again?
28:31Yes, absolutely.
28:32And in fact, there's
28:33a provision for it.
28:33Every such project
28:34has to be put out
28:35in the public domain.
28:36What is the cost?
28:37What is the timeline?
28:38How much has been
28:39the cost overrun,
28:40time overrun?
28:40All of that has to
28:41be in public domain.
28:42That's actually
28:43prescribed in the
28:43even the contracting
28:45documents.
28:45So it's not
28:46something that's new
28:47that one is asking
28:48for.
28:48You know, yeah, you
28:52see, a lot of the
28:54politics over this
28:55is taking place
28:55because of lack of
28:56transparency.
28:57The citizen feels
28:58somewhere that
28:59something has gone
28:59wrong.
29:00Unless, if the
29:01government has
29:01nothing to hide,
29:02why not put all the
29:03details out in
29:04public?
29:05It's not just about
29:05a photo op.
29:06It's not just about
29:07a bridge being
29:08inaugurated.
29:09As I said, the
29:09coastal road has got
29:10a lot of positive
29:11feedback.
29:12It's cut travel time
29:13in Mumbai
29:14enormously.
29:15But when big
29:16projects across
29:17this country are
29:17undertaken, there's
29:19a sense that the
29:20citizen is not being
29:21informed of all the
29:22details, who are
29:23the contractors.
29:24So when things go
29:25wrong, we don't know
29:26who to hold
29:27accountable, we hold
29:28the minister
29:28accountable.
29:32Absolutely,
29:32Rastip.
29:33I think there cannot
29:33be any second
29:34thought that the
29:35governance needs
29:36transparency.
29:36So whosoever
29:37involved in such
29:38kind of large
29:39projects, large
29:39infrastructure projects,
29:41all information
29:42should be available
29:42public.
29:43And as Mr.
29:44Ubaye said, those
29:46informations are
29:47largely available.
29:48The provisions are
29:49there in the
29:49contract.
29:50But I would like to
29:51point out to one
29:52more element beyond
29:53politics.
29:54As Mr.
29:56Prabhu said,
29:56politics is the
29:57reality and political
29:58part of it I will
29:59not like to right
30:00now comment on.
30:01But there are two
30:02other elements.
30:03For example, this
30:03kind of large
30:04infrastructure projects,
30:05a very detailed
30:06study is done by the
30:07consultants and the
30:08DPRs are prepared.
30:10But in my last
30:1215-20 years of
30:13experience, I have
30:14found that these
30:16DPRs are technically
30:17very, very faulty.
30:19We don't put enough
30:20time and enough, as
30:22somebody said, why
30:23can't we expect a
30:24situation to be
30:25imagined that this
30:26kind of rainfall is
30:27bound to happen?
30:28Why can't we
30:29prepare our
30:30infrastructure better
30:31for resilience, for
30:33taking up those
30:33kind of natural
30:34challenges?
30:35and I think there
30:36the role of beyond
30:38politicians comes in.
30:40So political part is
30:41one part and I don't
30:42want to comment on
30:43whether that corruption
30:44another part.
30:45But it is the
30:47engineering aspect of
30:48it that also needs to
30:50be looked at.
30:51For example, I have
30:52seen so many DPRs
30:53where the paras were
30:55just copy-pasted from
30:56one project to other
30:57project.
30:57And this is done by
30:58engineers, this is
30:59checked by officers, no
31:00politician is involved
31:01in this.
31:02Why can't those
31:02elements be looked
31:04at?
31:04I have seen in so
31:05many projects that
31:06an officer sitting in
31:08a conference room
31:09decides the height of
31:11bridge will go down
31:12by two meters or
31:13three meters without
31:14putting any
31:15scientific applications
31:17to it.
31:17We are very poor in
31:19adopting technology
31:20and getting data
31:21before coming up to
31:22the large-scale
31:23infrastructure project.
31:25One more element is
31:27equally important.
31:28For example,
31:29Chinab Bridge.
31:30The test was
31:31done in a
31:32laboratory to
31:34make that kind of
31:35big structure.
31:36Those kinds of
31:36elements can be
31:37added as part of
31:39our process.
31:40Why can't our
31:40SOPs be even more
31:41strengthened so that
31:42nobody, you know,
31:43SOPs can be
31:45politicians and
31:46engineer agnostic.
31:47SOPs has to be
31:48followed.
31:48I think those
31:49SOPs need to be
31:50strengthened so that
31:51our engineers, our
31:52DPRs, in fact,
31:53I myself has
31:54prepared a report on
31:55how our DPRs are
31:56very weak.
31:57There is no data
31:57available to the
31:58contractor to quote
31:59and then we say
32:00that there is a
32:01cost escalation
32:01because for
32:02contractor there is
32:02no data available
32:03that how much
32:04excavation he will
32:05have to do,
32:06what kind of
32:06geostrata he will
32:07have to look at,
32:08what kind of
32:08challenges he will
32:09have to look at.
32:10So I think all
32:10those elements also
32:11needs to be equally
32:12looked at apart from
32:14the governance and
32:15political part of it,
32:16politics part.
32:20you know, I want to get
32:21a quick answer from
32:22you, a short answer
32:23from you Chandrasekha
32:24Prabhu.
32:25You know,
32:25comparisons are often
32:26drawn with China.
32:27I mean, one of
32:27China's great successes
32:29has been what it's
32:30done with physical
32:31infrastructure and the
32:32Modi government also
32:33takes a lot of credit
32:35for its attempt to
32:36increase capacity but
32:37with increase in
32:39capacity, we've also
32:40seen opaqueness in
32:41many of the contracts.
32:42So the question
32:43arises, what model
32:45do we follow?
32:47We need big
32:47infrastructure projects
32:48but do we need
32:50better SOPs in the
32:52manner in which these
32:52projects are being
32:53executed?
32:55Rajiv, let me give
32:57a specific two or
32:59three examples where
33:00I am personally
33:02involved in the
33:03projects that you
33:04inform.
33:06When the coastal
33:07road, first of all,
33:09the idea of coastal
33:11road, how did it
33:12come?
33:13It was supposed to
33:14be the ceiling.
33:15The Bandra Burleigh
33:16ceiling was to be
33:18extended.
33:19I opposed it and
33:21said it should not
33:23be in the sea.
33:25Not only will it
33:26cost more but it
33:27will destroy the
33:29ecology and let us
33:30have a coastal road.
33:32Even the coastal road
33:34was challenged by the
33:36high court and
33:37because of the high
33:38court, they had to
33:40appoint a specialist
33:42team, an expert
33:43team, where I was
33:45personally there and
33:47the municipal
33:47commissioner, Mr.
33:49Subot Kumar, was the
33:51chairman of the team.
33:52After deliberating on
33:54all the technical
33:56aspects and, you know,
33:59understanding the
34:00maximum load that can
34:02come through the
34:04rains and everything,
34:05we gave a master
34:07plan for the coastal
34:09road, which
34:10involved minimum
34:11amount of
34:13reclamation.
34:14It was our plan
34:16which was submitted
34:18to the high court
34:19and, you know,
34:21our arguments
34:22saying that the
34:24experts say that the
34:25coastal road will be
34:27such which will cause
34:29the minimum damage to
34:30the environment.
34:31the high court
34:32cleared our report
34:34and the moment the
34:36high court dismissed
34:37the petition, all the
34:40points of
34:41safeguard in the
34:43experts committee's
34:44report were thrown
34:46to the winds and
34:48from 40 acres of
34:50reclamation and in
34:53the outer limit, the
34:54reclamation was
34:55increased to 200
34:57acres and all the
34:59changes were brought
35:00which we had warned
35:02not to do.
35:03Now, how do you
35:06counter this?
35:07When there is a
35:10group of experts
35:12who's sitting and
35:13giving you opinion
35:15in writing and the
35:17high court clears it,
35:19then that which the
35:20high court cleared is
35:21thrown to the winds
35:23and some people with
35:25the help, you know,
35:26then the politicians
35:27will say it's because
35:28of the contractors,
35:29you had to increase
35:31the price because
35:335,000 crores has to
35:35be paid to someone
35:36but that apart,
35:38why did you change
35:39the basic technical
35:42specifications?
35:43You changed it
35:44because of some
35:46reason.
35:46Sir, I am,
35:50I take your point
35:51and you've given a
35:52good concrete example
35:53which only justifies,
35:55I think, the point
35:55that all of us are
35:56trying to make and
35:57which hopefully
35:58Shaina NC will take
35:59to her leadership.
36:00Shaina NC, we need
36:01transparency.
36:02It's all very well
36:03to come on TV
36:04programs and say
36:11all is not well.
36:13So, y'all will have
36:14to ensure if you
36:15want citizens to
36:16trust you and say
36:18that the projects
36:19are working on time
36:20scheduled, there are
36:21no cost escalations,
36:22the pothole issue
36:23is being addressed,
36:25the issue of
36:26large infrastructure
36:27projects, please be
36:28transparent, Shaina NC.
36:29That's all that
36:30citizens are calling.
36:31Ensure that we have
36:33an audit of all the
36:34projects put out in
36:35the public domain.
36:36The more you make it
36:37opaque, the more you
36:38keep it within the
36:39corridors of Babudom,
36:41if I may use that
36:42word, the more the
36:43questions citizens will
36:45raise, Shaina NC.
36:46See, I hope you
36:47appreciate that and I
36:48hope you will take
36:49that to your
36:50leadership.
36:53That's the reason
36:54why we have talked
36:55about as you have
36:56structural audits for
36:57buildings, you need
36:58to have it for
36:58potholes, for manholes,
37:00for trees and
37:01extended.
37:02You talked about the
37:03missing link.
37:04I just want to say
37:04one thing that yes,
37:06it was a very difficult
37:07project to complete
37:08through the Khandala
37:09Ghats and you know
37:10the topography but
37:12having said that, this
37:13was a landslide and
37:14when we come to talk
37:16about Mumbai, also
37:17please appreciate
37:18that 10,000 BMC
37:19personnel who should
37:21have been on ground
37:21today, it's 15,000
37:23of them working
37:24tirelessly through a
37:25war room and
37:26ensuring that
37:27Mumbaikers are as
37:29safe as they can be
37:30given the challenging
37:31wrath of nature.
37:32I am not doubting
37:33the hard work of
37:35the ordinary, ma'am,
37:37I am not doubting the
37:38hard work of ordinary
37:39employees who work in
37:41crisis situations.
37:42In fact, I salute
37:43them but we will still
37:44continue to raise
37:45questions when newly
37:46inaugurated projects
37:48seem to develop some
37:49kind of weaknesses,
37:50loopholes in the
37:51system.
37:52That's our job and
37:53all we are asking for
37:54is greater transparency
37:56in the way these
37:57projects are handed
37:59out and the manner
38:00in which they are
38:01executed.
38:02I thank my guests for
38:03joining me here on my
38:05big talking point on
38:06what's been happening
38:07happening in the monsoon
38:09fury.
38:12Okay, let's turn from
38:13there to our
38:15controversy of the
38:17day and our India
38:18Today explainer.
38:20There's been a storm in
38:21the last few days
38:22particularly on social
38:24media over ethanol
38:25blended petrol with the
38:27ministers Hardy Puri and
38:30Nitin Ghatkari in the
38:31line of fire.
38:32The outrage was
38:33triggered by
38:34YouTubers and
38:35influencers who
38:36allege their vehicles
38:37have suffered damage
38:39due to the use of
38:40E20 petrol.
38:41The Prime Minister's
38:42office has stepped in
38:44and claimed that all
38:45these claims are
38:46baseless.
38:47What is the
38:48controversy all about?
38:50Take a look first at
38:51this explainer.
38:56Social media erupts
38:58over the use of
38:59E20 petrol or
39:0020% ethanol
39:01blended petrol.
39:03So what is
39:05ethanol fuel?
39:06Ethanol is an
39:07alcohol-based biofuel
39:08made primarily from
39:10sugarcane and grains.
39:11It's renewable,
39:13biodegradable,
39:14burns cleaner than
39:15conventional petrol
39:16and is seen as a
39:18key tool to reduce
39:19vehicle emissions.
39:20The journey begins
39:22in 2001 as a pilot
39:24project.
39:25A 5% blending
39:26program was
39:27formally launched
39:28in 2003.
39:29The National
39:30Biofields policy in
39:312018 transformed
39:33the roadmap and
39:35in 2025 India
39:37achieved its E20
39:38target, five years
39:40ahead of schedule.
39:41The next milestone,
39:42an ambitious push
39:44towards E27
39:45blending by 2030.
39:48But as E20
39:50becomes the default
39:51fuel, criticism
39:52is growing.
39:53Opponents claim
39:54E20 fuel reduces
39:56fuel efficiency,
39:57could affect
39:58engines and
39:59mileage, especially
40:00in older vehicles.
40:01They argue many
40:03vehicles built
40:04before March
40:042023 may not be
40:07fully compatible,
40:08warned that
40:09diverting crops
40:10could impact food
40:11security, raise
40:12concerns over
40:13durability and
40:14maintenance costs
40:15and question
40:16whether consumers
40:17were adequately
40:18prepared or even
40:20given a choice.
40:22Experts acknowledge
40:23both advantages
40:24and trade-offs.
40:25Supporters say
40:26it cuts crude oil
40:28imports, but the
40:29con is a slight drop
40:30in fuel efficiency.
40:32It may lower
40:32emissions, but there
40:34are compatibility
40:34concerns for older
40:35vehicles.
40:37Ethanol helps
40:38reduce greenhouse gas
40:39emissions, but
40:40production needs
40:41more agricultural inputs.
40:42The government
40:44says that
40:44ethanol blending
40:45is beneficial
40:46in terms of
40:47foreign exchange
40:48savings, emissions
40:50are reduced as far
40:51as the carbon
40:52dioxide emissions
40:53are concerned,
40:54and also
40:55contributes to
40:57the revenue
40:58and economy of
40:59not only distillers
41:00but also the
41:01farmers.
41:02The centre has
41:03strongly rejected
41:04these concerns,
41:06assuring that
41:07ethanol is backed
41:08by scientific
41:08studies, citing
41:09extensive vehicle
41:10trials covering
41:1140,000 km in cars
41:13and 20,000 km in
41:15two-wheelers.
41:16Only minor mileage
41:18changes, no adverse
41:19impact on engines
41:21and drivability,
41:22while E-20 calibrated
41:23vehicles could even
41:25benefit.
41:26It also says
41:26ethanol doesn't
41:27attract bees, uses
41:29just 3-5 litres of
41:30water per litre,
41:32with recycling systems
41:33in place, relies only
41:34on surplus rise for
41:36production, and notes
41:37that ethanol blended
41:39fuels have been used
41:40safely for decades.
41:42The ethanol debate
41:43is far from over,
41:45but as India
41:46accelerates its
41:47biofuel push,
41:48the real test will
41:49be balancing
41:50cleaner energy
41:51with consumer
41:51confidence.
41:52With Aishwarya Paliwal,
41:54Bureau Report,
41:55India Today.
41:57Okay, let's raise the
41:59big questions on our
42:00explainer tonight.
42:01Why the outcry over
42:02E-20 petrol?
42:04Should E-0 and E-10
42:06petrol also be sold?
42:07Should consumers get
42:09the choice?
42:10An issue of big
42:10consumer concern at the
42:12moment.
42:12Joining me now,
42:13Hormuz Surabji,
42:14editor, Autocar India,
42:16and Sahar Damani,
42:18CEO of Federation
42:18Automobile Dealers
42:20Association.
42:20Appreciate both of you
42:21joining us.
42:22Want to get expert
42:23voices to cut through
42:24the noise over
42:25ethanol blended
42:28petrol in the country.
42:30Hormuz Surabji,
42:31there are raging
42:32concerns about whether
42:34petrol blended with
42:35ethanol is corroding
42:36engine parts and
42:37resulting in considerable
42:39drop in mileage.
42:40Youth social media
42:41campaign on it.
42:43The government has been
42:44forced to come up with
42:44a 10-point response to
42:46it.
42:46What's your view?
42:47Give us your expert
42:48view.
42:49Is it corroding engine
42:50parts or is this a myth?
42:53So I think there are
42:54two issues of, you know,
42:56higher ethanol.
42:56One is the fuel
42:57efficiency, which is
42:59real.
42:59There is a genuine
43:00drop in that.
43:02We've done some of our
43:03own tests, not
43:04laboratory tests, but
43:05real-world tests, which
43:06is really what the
43:07consumer would feel.
43:08In our tests, we've
43:10seen a drop of about
43:113.8 to as much as
43:1312% depending on the
43:14car.
43:16You know, Maruti's,
43:16they do a very good
43:17job of calibration, so
43:18they can mitigate the
43:20kind of loss of
43:21calorific value with
43:22smarter calibration.
43:24But, you know, it can
43:24go up to 12%.
43:25And then pre-BS6 cars,
43:28the drop can be even
43:29more.
43:30So fuel efficiency is,
43:31I think, the biggest
43:32challenge.
43:33Now, as far as
43:33corrosion goes, you
43:35know, I think you just
43:36have to do what science
43:38says.
43:38It's going to be a slow
43:39burn.
43:40It's not that your
43:41engines are suddenly
43:41going to explode and
43:42you know, what you
43:43see on social media.
43:45In fact, one guy wrote
43:46even his aircon cooling
43:48was affected because he
43:50felt it was because of
43:51E20.
43:51There is genuinely an
43:52outrage.
43:53I think the way it's
43:54been rolled out,
43:55obviously there is
43:56concern because, you
43:57know, you are just
43:58forced to use the
43:59E20.
43:59But now that it's
44:00there, I think long
44:01term, there will be,
44:04you know, let's say
44:05corrosion of parts.
44:06That window starts
44:07between 10,000 and
44:0820,000 kilometers of
44:09usage.
44:10But, you know, one
44:11has to remember that
44:12it is only limited to
44:14the fuel delivery
44:14system of a car.
44:17So, you know, it's
44:18not that your whole
44:18car is going to get
44:19destroyed or even the
44:20engine is going to get
44:20destroyed.
44:21What it means for the
44:22consumer is a little
44:23bit more maintenance,
44:25looking after the car a
44:26bit better, doing,
44:27taking preventive
44:28measures to mitigate
44:30the effect of
44:31ethanol.
44:31I mean, for one, you
44:32know, you should be
44:32changing your fuel
44:34filters a lot more.
44:35So, yes, there is
44:36added expense.
44:37But, you know, if
44:38you take a 10-year
44:39life cycle, it
44:41doesn't really add up
44:42to too much.
44:43But there definitely
44:44is, you know, you
44:45can expect some
44:47sort of more frequent
44:48changing of parts
44:49going forward.
44:50So, I think this is
44:51really the core of
44:52the issue.
44:53But right now, you
44:55know, we are not
44:55seeing any massive
44:56trend of, you know,
44:58issues with ethanol.
44:59What we are seeing is
45:00other issues of
45:01contaminated fuel.
45:02And there are
45:03ethanol-related
45:04issues which could
45:05come up.
45:06And one is, you
45:07know, ethanol, in
45:08fact, is too clean
45:09for itself.
45:10It's like a detergent.
45:11So, if there is
45:12kind of sludge in
45:14the engine which
45:15has been there for
45:16a long time, the
45:17cleansing, the
45:18powerful cleansing
45:18property of ethanol
45:19dislodges that and
45:20that sometimes can get
45:21stuck in the injector
45:22and cause an issue
45:24immediately.
45:25Of course, it's very
45:26hygroscopic.
45:27So, if it attracts
45:27water, if, let's say,
45:29the fuel bunks, you
45:30know, don't control the
45:31quality well, if it's
45:32water can come in
45:33and water, you
45:34know, can have an
45:35issue with the fuel
45:36pump.
45:36So, it's quite a
45:37complex issue.
45:38But, and rightfully,
45:41you know, consumers
45:41are feeling the pain
45:43of it because if you
45:44look at it, E20
45:46actually is fantastic
45:47on a lot of things.
45:48You know, let's say
45:50energy security, our
45:51foreign exchange
45:52reserve is fantastic
45:53for the environment.
45:54That's why I like it.
45:55But, unfortunately,
45:56the one who's feeling
45:57the pain, who's not
45:58been taken care of
45:59amongst all the
46:00stakeholders, completely
46:02is the motorist.
46:03But, again, the
46:04impact is not as
46:05big as it's made
46:07out to be.
46:11Okay, Sayesh,
46:12Damani, what's
46:13your view?
46:13Because the
46:14Federation of
46:14Automobile Dealers
46:15Association, when I
46:16speak to auto
46:17industries and I
46:18want to put out
46:18their stand, in
46:202020, they said
46:21vehicles made in
46:22India since 2008
46:23compatible with
46:24E10, E20 should
46:26be made available
46:27on a pan-India
46:28basis, they seem
46:30to support it.
46:33Do you believe
46:33that this is a
46:34step in the right
46:35direction or do you
46:37believe the government
46:37should have taken
46:38its time or have
46:40certainly given
46:40consumer choices as
46:42they do in Brazil?
46:43In Brazil, they've
46:44effected a policy where
46:46at your petrol pump,
46:47it's not mandatory to
46:48only get petrol
46:50blended with
46:52ethanol.
46:53You have options
46:54available.
46:54Should India have
46:55gone the options
46:56route and given
46:57the consumer more
46:58choice?
47:00Yeah, hi Rajdeep,
47:01good evening to you
47:02and to all the
47:03viewers of your
47:04channel.
47:05Yes, FADA
47:06supports the
47:07E20 program because
47:09we believe it is
47:10based on science
47:11and extensive
47:12testing and a
47:14phased transition.
47:15But more importantly,
47:16we support the
47:17Indian consumers.
47:18So our role is
47:20to ensure that
47:21customers get the
47:22facts and not
47:24live in fear.
47:25But before E20
47:26was rolled out
47:27across the country,
47:28extensive validation
47:29was carried out
47:30by ARAI oil
47:32companies and
47:33all the auto
47:34OEMs.
47:35And the studies
47:36did not find any
47:36significant damage
47:37or safety concerns
47:39due to the E20
47:40fuel.
47:41And that's why
47:41today every major
47:43manufacturer is
47:44confidently supporting
47:45it.
47:46Now at the same
47:46time, I want to
47:48give one practical
47:49message to every
47:50vehicle owner in the
47:51country.
47:51Today's vehicles
47:53are highly
47:53sophisticated.
47:54You know, they
47:55are basically
47:56computers on wheels
47:57with sensors,
47:58electronic control
47:58units and advanced
48:00diagnostics.
48:01Now whether every
48:02vehicle runs on
48:03E20 or any other
48:05approved fuel, the
48:06best way to keep
48:08it healthy is to
48:09follow the
48:09manufacturer's
48:10recommendation
48:11service schedule
48:12and get the
48:14service at an
48:15authorized workshop.
48:17preventive maintenance
48:18basically gives
48:19customers, you
48:20know, complete
48:21peace of mind
48:21because trained
48:22technicians with
48:23specialized diagnostic
48:24equipments, you
48:25know, can identify
48:26any issue at a
48:27very early stage.
48:29Also, what you
48:30asked about whether
48:31the customer should
48:32be given enough
48:34choice the way it
48:34has been given in
48:35other countries.
48:36I think enough
48:37choice is already
48:38available in the
48:39type of fuels which
48:40are available in the
48:40market today.
48:41you have petrol,
48:42diesel, hybrid, CNG,
48:44electric and if I
48:47can count there are
48:48around 14 different
48:49fuel types or so
48:50which are available to
48:52the country, to the
48:53country's, all our
48:55customers.
48:56So basically every
48:58option is already
48:59available and I think
49:01energy security is
49:02very critical from
49:04India's standpoint
49:05and that's the reason
49:06why government is,
49:07you know, has made
49:09E20 the best minimal
49:10fuel as of
49:14you know, I take
49:15energy security but
49:17Hormos Swarabji, a
49:18quick answer, I keep
49:19mentioning Brazil
49:20because it's seen as
49:21a success.
49:22Consumers there have a
49:23daily choice between
49:24blended petrol with
49:2527 to 35 percent
49:27ethanol, E100 with
49:28flex fuel vehicles
49:29dominating sales
49:31because ethanol is
49:32priced there 25 to
49:3435 percent cheaper.
49:36Therefore, in India,
49:37do you need to have
49:38pricing flexibility,
49:39ensure more choice,
49:40therefore as a
49:41consumer I can choose
49:43and then the debate
49:44gets settled at the
49:45moment by making it
49:46mandatory and not
49:48giving price
49:49flexibility, you're
49:51making the consumer
49:52in a disadvantaged
49:53position.
49:53Could that be a
49:54solution to India's
49:56this entire E20
49:57controversy?
50:01Well, look, I think
50:02there are two issues
50:04right now.
50:05I think one is the
50:07main issue is the
50:07base fuel.
50:09You know, I think
50:10E10 should it have
50:11been there.
50:12I think, you know,
50:13we've even seen
50:14CM had wanted the
50:16E10 because of the
50:17worries.
50:19You know, that was
50:20not, I mean, just
50:21E20 was pushed
50:22through.
50:23Now, if you look
50:25at it, you know,
50:25ideally E10 should
50:26have been there
50:27and E20.
50:29That would have
50:30been the perfect
50:30scenario, but, you
50:32know, that's not
50:32happened.
50:33And one can
50:34understand why also
50:35from the government's
50:35point of view to
50:36have two bunks,
50:37then you'd have to
50:38have differential
50:38pricing.
50:39If E10 was there,
50:40everyone would buy
50:41that and E20, you
50:42know, would have to
50:43be much lower.
50:44So, little complex
50:45situation and I can
50:46see the petroleum
50:47minister and government's
50:48point of view.
50:48I think, you know,
50:50what's happened is
50:50that there has been
50:52from E, if you see
50:53the program, you've
50:54gone from E10, then
50:55it's crept up to E12,
50:57E15, all, you know,
50:58working with, let's
50:59say, the auto
51:00manufacturers and the
51:00oil companies.
51:02There's enough buffer
51:03built in, you know,
51:04to go up to E20.
51:06So, you know, to go
51:07to make it the base
51:08fuel right now.
51:10Ideally, E10, yes.
51:11But, you know, it's
51:12like, you know, trucks
51:14which you design in
51:15India, you design it
51:16with a higher margin
51:17for overloading because,
51:18you know, that's
51:18going to happen.
51:19So, there's a lot of
51:20buffer built in, you
51:22know, into the
51:23material.
51:23Don't forget, this is
51:24a country where
51:25contamination historically
51:26has been rife.
51:27So, automatically, the
51:28materials are, let's
51:30say, upgraded to meet
51:31the corrosive effects of
51:33regular contamination.
51:34So, ethanol can be
51:35managed over there.
51:36But, I think, going
51:37forward, what should
51:38not be done is, and
51:39there is talk of it, I
51:40hope that does not
51:41happen, is to raise
51:42the base fuel beyond
51:43E20 because then the
51:45older cars would really
51:46have an issue.
51:48I think we managed
51:49with E20.
51:50I think the next step
51:51is to push for
51:51flex fuels.
51:52We already have E85
51:54which has been rolled
51:55out.
51:55But, again, the
51:56pricing strategy needs
51:57to be rethought
51:58because what's
51:59happened is, and we
52:00did a test, we are
52:01the only ones who
52:02actually tested
52:03flex fuel bikes.
52:04We did a test with
52:05E20.
52:06We found with E20, it
52:08was 24% more
52:10efficient.
52:12And E85, the
52:14pricing is 20%
52:16less.
52:17So, basically, the
52:18cost benefit of
52:20E85 does not
52:22compensate for the
52:23efficiency loss of
52:24E85, which is
52:26about 24%.
52:27So, you're paying
52:28more to run
52:29E85 than E20, which
52:31is not going to be
52:32a starter.
52:33So, I think the
52:34focus should be on
52:35flex fuel vehicles.
52:36That's the way Brazil
52:37has done it.
52:38keep E20 as the
52:39base and then go to
52:40the higher blends
52:41which only flex fuel
52:42vehicles take.
52:42And that's really the
52:43way the ethanol
52:44offtake will really
52:46pick up.
52:46There has to be tax
52:47incentivization.
52:48Everyone has to
52:49come on board.
52:50And it has to be
52:51priced so
52:52competitively that
52:53consumers just want
52:54that.
52:58Okay.
52:59I'm going to leave
53:00it there.
53:00We'll have a wider
53:01debate on this,
53:03including getting
53:04more skeptics of
53:05this entire process
53:06in a few days' time.
53:08These are the kind
53:09of consumer issues
53:09that we want to
53:10explain to our
53:11viewers at the
53:12moment.
53:13I appreciate both
53:14my guests joining
53:14me here on the
53:15news today.
53:16Thank you very
53:16much.
53:19You're with the
53:20news today.
53:21Let's turn now to
53:22our Get Real
53:22India story.
53:23A hospital that
53:24exists on paper
53:25but sadly not on
53:27the ground.
53:28Indoor's 100-bed
53:29civil hospital is
53:31under the scanner
53:32because it is shown
53:32as functional on
53:34official records even
53:35though building
53:36hasn't been
53:37constructed.
53:39Take a look at
53:40tonight's Get Real
53:41India story.
53:52A vacant plot and
53:54a promise that
53:55never became reality.
53:58Six years after
53:59approval, a proposed
54:00100-bed civil hospital
54:02hospital at Khajrana
54:03in Indoor still has
54:05no building.
54:07Yet on Madhya Pradesh
54:09government records,
54:10the hospital was
54:11very much alive.
54:13Here are the facts.
54:16The 100-bed civil
54:18hospital was approved
54:19in June 2020.
54:21But six years later,
54:23the building is still
54:24to be constructed
54:25because land is yet
54:26to be allotted.
54:27Despite that, the
54:29hospital was officially
54:30marked functional.
54:3187 posts were
54:33sanctioned, transfer
54:34and posting orders
54:35continued for years.
54:37And as recently,
54:38on June 2026,
54:39fresh postings
54:40were made.
54:41The hospital exists
54:42only in government
54:44files.
54:46Khajrana
54:47is a civil hospital
54:48and we have
54:49been
54:49to have
54:512-3 years
54:52before.
54:53We are
54:53trying to get
54:54the shelter
54:55and we have
54:56100-bed civil
54:58hospital
54:59and
55:00also
55:00manpower
55:01also.
55:13The Congress has now called the episode a textbook case of administrative failure.
55:27But the government defends itself, saying the construction was delayed due to unavailability of land.
55:49The hospital without walls. And citizens denied health care they were promised.
55:55The biggest question that remains is when will the hospital finally move from government files to the ground.
56:03With Dharmendra Kumar Singh and Ravish Pal Singh, Bureau Report, India Today.
56:11Okay, let's now turn to the global story that's making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
56:17That's right. And it concerns the FIFA World Cup because there is a, in a stunning move,
56:23FIFA has overturned the ban on a US player ahead of the pre-quarter finals that the United States football
56:31team will play.
56:32That's not it. The accusation is that the White House and Donald Trump reportedly stepped in
56:38and forced FIFA to reverse the ban on the United States star football player,
56:45sparking outrage across sporting circles in the world.
56:50Take a look at how a red card was replaced by a Trump card.
56:57The feeling that the US government has been meddling in the FIFA World Cup has grown after the football body
57:04made a massive U-turn.
57:09USA striker Fowler in Balogun, who accidentally brought down his foot on a Bosnian player and was shown a red
57:17card for his challenge,
57:18was suspended for his team's round of 16 game against Belgium.
57:22The USA supporters, there's the reaction from the USA players.
57:25But, in a shocking move, FIFA has suspended the one-match ban, citing Article 27 of its disciplinary code, but
57:34offering no proper explanation.
57:38What I would say is, the thing that stinks the most is, there should be a review process in place.
57:42I actually didn't think it was a red card, and I think there should be a process which allows it
57:45to be overturned.
57:46But if there's no process for it to be overturned, and then somehow, FIFA from nowhere have just decided to
57:53basically let a player play,
57:55and the rules are the same for everybody.
57:57The decision is particularly concerning because it is now being reported that USA President Donald Trump called the head of
58:05FIFA before the announcement was made.
58:09And that wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to
58:16crash into each other.
58:17This referee, who is a little bit suspect.
58:23Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino share a particularly close relationship,
58:29with FIFA even awarding the current US head of state a peace prize, ironically, before the US waged war in
58:36Iran.
58:38But Balogun isn't the first player to escape suspension.
58:42In 1962, Brazil's Garincha also played a match he shouldn't have, a decision that was born out of political interference.
59:00Cristiano Ronaldo also picked up a red card in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier versus Ireland, but two games
59:06of his suspension were deferred by a year to let him play the opening World Cup games.
59:14From Garincha to Balogun, the story stays the same.
59:19Political muscle, one phone call, and the rules bend.
59:25The only question left is, who's really running the game?
59:30Sports Bureau, India Today.
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