Zira Liquor Factory Row: Court allows owners to take out ethanol from liquor unit

Zira Liquor Factory Row: Court allows owners to take out ethanol from liquor unit

HARISH MONGA

Ferozepur, March 14, 2023: Some relief has been given to Malbros Liquory Factory at Zira by the Punjab and Haryana High Court by giving permission to lift the ethanol stored in the factory.

In the orders, the Punjab government has been asked to provide security while lifting ethanol from the factory. On this, the High Court has given the decision by providing security to the government, allowing the factory owners to remove the ethanol from the factory within a week.

Earlier, the factory filed an application in the High Court saying that a large amount of ethanol is kept in the factory, which can be extremely fatal and demanding the safe extraction of ethanol from the liquor factory.

In the last hearing the government said that they have no objection regarding the ethanol that needs to be taken out from the factory, but the excise license of the factory has expired.

Added here, the Punjab Government has refused to renew the licence of Malbros International Private Limited, also known as Zira liquor factory, Ferozepur. Informing its decision to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the government stated that the Punjab Pollution Control Board had recommended not renewing the licence of the factory.

However, the protesters are still sitting on dharna since July 24, 2022 and after about 177 days, the matter has gone to the court. They are demanding the issue of formal notification for the closure of the factory which was established in 2006. The protesters have been alleging that the factory is polluting the underground water, environment and people are facing serious health problems in Mansurwal village where the factory is established.