Zira factory row: HC asks Punjab govt to decide pleas expeditiously
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to decide pleas of liquor factory in Zira Malbros International Pvt Ltd expeditiously.
Chandigarh
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to decide pleas of liquor factory in Zira Malbros International Pvt Ltd expeditiously.
The court acted on the plea from the unit in which it had demanded that proceedings initiated by the state authorities be transferred to any other place.
The petitioner has apprehension that none of the reports are being considered, including that of the NGT, Central Pollution Control Board and various competent authorities and experts and there is a likelihood that these authorities will not consider the same in order to escape their responsibilities of allowing and ensuring that the unit function peacefully, it had argued.
Malbros International Private Limited, an alcohol-making unit at Mansurwal village in the Zira is closed since July 24 due to protests from villagers of surrounding areas alleging that it was causing pollution.
The court was told that government has refused to grant the consent to operate under Section 25/26 of the Water Prevention and Pollution Control Act on “flimsy” grounds and an appeal against the same is pending but not being decided.
It was also stated that the consent to operate under the Air Act, consent to operate application and the show-cause notice for refusal of the same has already been heard but no conclusive order has been passed, the court was informed.
Disposing of the plea, the high court said that the application filed on allegations of violations of water pollution norms be decided at the earliest preferably within a period of two weeks and second one about air pollution within four weeks.