Malbros Liquor Factory Zira Case : No positive response from protestors, despite appeal by DC to lift sit-n dharna
Ferozepur, December 9, 2022: Today, Deputy Commissioner Ferozepur Amrit Singh visited Zira to pursue the protestors outside the Malbros Liquor Factor, to end the sit-in dharna in front of the factory, but there was no positive response from the protestors regarding ending the protest. DIG, Ranjit Singh was also present on this occasion.
Deputy Commissioner had a talk with the protestors and gave them detailed information regarding the orders of the High Court and appeal to stage their protest outside the 300 meter radius of the factory as per the orders of the Court. She further said, in case they are not satisfied with the decision of the Court, they can go on for appeal but no traffic coming to the factory should be stopped.
Added here, The matter came to light in the second week of July when very dirty water with a stench of alcohol had come out while digging a bore in Gurdwara premises of Mainaiwala village. . Following which, residents from nearby villages and NGO gathered outside the factory since July 24 demanding its closure. A protest has also been going on under the banner of Sanjha Zira Morcha and protesters have alleged that the unit is polluting the ground water during the process of liquor making. The factory had started operating in 2007. Meanwhile, the Court has also shcoked the Punjab Government by imposing a fine of Rs.15 crore on the petition of the liquor factory for the on-going outside the factory. On the other hand, NGT has also given a clean chit to the factory after testing of water and soil from three different labs.
On this occasion SDM Zira Gagandeep Singh, SP Gurmeet Singh Cheema, DSP Zira Palwinder Singh, Naib Tehsildar Vinod Kumar, Chief Engineer of Punjab Pollution Control Board Pradeep Gupta, Environmental Engineer Guneet Sefi, besides officers/employees of various departments were present.