A large number of local residents stage a dharna on Tuesday over setting up of ‘ethanol plant’ at Kukuwal village near Ropar.
Ropar, April 30
High drama was witnessed when a large number of local residents reached Kukuwal village today and staged a dharna in front of an upcoming industrial unit, alleging that the owner was setting up a distillery under the garb of a milk plant.
In fact, an application with same name as that of a milk plant was submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for clearance to set up a grain-based distillery to produce ethanol in the abovesaid village. The ethanol unit supposed to be set up on 28.15 acres with a capacity of 150 kilo litre per day (KLPD) is also supposed to have a 4 MW co-generation power plant.
According to information the proposal in this regard has already been approved by the Centre.
Kirti Kisan Morcha president Veer Singh Barrwa while addressing the protesters said if the ethanol plant would be set up, then the villagers would have to suffer because of air as well as water pollution. The owner also knew that such a distillery would not be allowed by the locals in the area, so he put up the board of a milk plant at the site, he alleged.
Ropar MLA Dinesh Chadha also reached the spot and assured the protesters that no distillery will be allowed to be set up in the area. The protesters said in case the government failed to take action in this regard, they would form village-level committees to stage protest in the area.
While the unit owner could not be contacted, Ropar DC said there was no proposal with the district administration for setting up a distillery at Kukuwal village. Approval has been given for a milk plant to be set up at Kukuwal, and no one will be allowed to produce ethanol at such a factory, the DC added.
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