Palakkad (Kerala), Jan 24 (PTI) The president of Elappully grama panchayat in this district, where the Kerala government has permitted the setting up of a brewery unit, on Friday expressed displeasure over the plant coming there and said that its water requirements cannot be met from rainwater storage tanks.
The opposition Congress and the BJP also spoke out against the brewery project and said that they will carry out strong agitation against it till the government withdraws the permission given to the private company—Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd.
Criticising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statements, in the assembly a day ago, defending the decision to permit the plant, Revathi Babu K—the president of the Elappully grama panchayat—said that what could be understood from the CM’s statement was that ethanol and spirit were being brought at high cost from other states for liquor production here.
She questioned, “What he needs to understand is that Kerala produces only 20 per cent of its food requirements, with the rest being brought from other states. So, why can’t agricultural production be given a boost in the state?” while speaking to a TV channel.
She also dismissed the CM’s statement that the brewery’s water requirements would be met by the Kerala Water Authority and rainwater storage tanks, calling it “pure nonsense.” She asked, “The unit will require crores of litres of water. If it doesn’t get enough, it will dig a deep borewell overnight and drain out the groundwater. Who will be there to stop them then?” Responding to her contentions, state Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty said that it was a cabinet decision to permit the private company and assured that all the concerns of the people would be addressed.
Regarding the water requirements of the plant, the minister said that the water storage capacity of the plant can be increased.
He also said that there are around 1,400 lakes in Palakkad and if they are developed, there will be more groundwater.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters at Kozhikode that the CM’s claims, of the brewery project benefiting farmers and creating more jobs, “were wrong”.
He said that not just one, but many plants will be coming into the district which suffers from water scarcity.
Chennithala stated that Vijayan was “no longer a communist”, as he was inviting capitalists to the state.
He said the decision to set up the brewery was not only against public interest but would also pave the way for major corruption.
BJP state president K Surendran echoed similar sentiments, stating that the government’s decision was not merely a policy change but also “corruption” aimed at “carrying out a massive loot.” He also accused the Congress of being complicit, stating that since the local bodies were under its control, it was aware of what was happening.
Earlier in the day, the panchayat president reiterated that, regardless of the CM’s statements, the villagers were firmly opposed to the government’s decision.
She added that discussions had taken place with lawyers, and “we are prepared to approach the court whenever necessary”.
On Thursday, the CM clarified in the assembly that the initial approval granted for the project falls under the “ease of doing business” category, meaning it did not require consultation with the panchayat.
Addressing concerns about the brewery potentially impacting drinking water availability in the region, Vijayan assured that the government would not allow any situation that could lead to a water shortage.
“The company’s daily water requirement will be met by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and rainwater storage tanks,” he stated.
Last week, the state cabinet approved the proposal from Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd to set up the plant, subject to compliance with existing guidelines and conditions.
From the outset, the opposition has opposed the establishment of the brewery in the village, citing concerns about potential drinking water scarcity.
The opposition also alleged that large-scale irregularities were involved in granting permission to Oasis to set up the brewery in Elappully village, Kanchikode, Palakkad district.
The brewery unit is expected to require at least five lakh litres of water per day—an amount that the water-scarce village of Elappully cannot afford, the opposition argued. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK KH
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