NGT Schedules Final Hearing on Zira Liquor Factory for Feb 24
Ferozepur, February 12, 2025: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has scheduled the final hearing regarding the closure of the Zira liquor factory for February 24, 2025, as reported by leaders of the Sanjha Morcha Zira Committee.
Today, Jagtar Singh, Fateh Singh, Gurjant Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Raghbir Singh, and Advocate Deepak Kumar were present at the NGT office for the scheduled hearing.
The committee, representing farmers and residents from 44 villages surrounding the Malbros International Private Limited distillery in Mansurwal village, Ferozepur, has been actively protesting since July 24, 2022, against the alleged contamination of groundwater by the ethanol plant.
The factory, established as a distillery in 2006 and redeveloped into an ethanol unit in 2014, has been accused by locals of discharging effluents into the groundwater, leading to contamination of both water and soil. In January 2023, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the immediate closure of the plant following months of agitation. However, official orders confirming the closure have yet to be issued, prompting continued legal proceedings and protests.
In October 2023, the NGT directed the Punjab government to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to the affected villagers after reports confirmed groundwater contamination in the area surrounding the distillery. The upcoming hearing on February 24 is anticipated to deliver a decisive judgment on the factory's operations and its environmental impact.
The Sanjha Morcha leaders have expressed their commitment to safeguarding the water and environment of the area, emphasizing the importance of this hearing in their prolonged struggle against the factory's alleged pollution.