People's Resistance Grows Against Brewery In Kerala
Villagers fear proposed plant may lead to depletion of ground water level, water scarcity and pollution by release of toxic effluent: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A village in Palakkad district, Kerala, has been making headlines due to local resistance against the establishment of a brewery. The residents of Elappully panchayat have been protesting ever since the State government granted permission to Oasis Commercial Pvt. Ltd., a Madhya Pradesh-based brewery company, to set up a liquor plant in Mannukkad, which is in ward six. Recently, a large crowd, including women and children, blocked earth movers brought by the company to clear the land earmarked for the brewery.
The company has acquired 24 acres of land for the project, including four acres of agricultural land. Led by Congress and the BJP, locals are opposing the brewery, claiming it will harm agriculture and deplete drinking water in the panchayat.
The Congress-ruled grama panchayat recently passed a resolution against the brewery, citing concerns over the adverse effects on farming, groundwater depletion, and pollution from effluents that could be discharged into the nearby Korayar river.
Elappully is located just 20 km from Plachimada, which witnessed massive protests against Coca-Cola about 15 years ago, leading to the closure of the soft drink giant's plant. Coca-Cola had faced accusations of groundwater depletion, toxic effluent discharge, and damage to local water sources. The agitation, supported by environmentalists, NGOs, political parties like the CPM, tribal organizations, and prominent figures, evolved into a mass movement that forced the company to shut down. The residents of Elappully fear the proposed brewery might bring similar problems to their area.
In addition to mobilizing public support, the Elapully grama panchayat has decided to file a case in the Kerala High Court against the government's push for the brewery project.
The panchayat's governing council plans to take legal action against the state government, claiming it infringes on the local body's rights. The Congress, which leads the panchayat with nine members, and the BJP with five members, have both backed the resolution, while the CPM, with eight members, opposed it. "Matters like land use, conservation of paddy fields and wetlands, drinking water supply, and waste management fall under the panchayat's authority," stated panchayat president Revathy Babu.
She says granting approval to an industry that poses serious environmental risks, without the panchayat's initial consent and disregarding civic laws, is a blatant challenge to the local community and completely against their interests.
The company directly approached the secretary, bypassing the panchayat governing body, to get approval for the layout plan provided by the Town Planner.
The secretary reportedly referred to amended rules, claiming that the panchayat governing council's sanction was not required.
The panchayat has decided to contest the secretary's decision in court.
The LDF Government, determined to move forward with the project, denies that the brewery plant will cause water scarcity in the area. It highlights the underutilization of water from the Malampuzha dam, noting that only 13.19% of the dam's storage capacity is currently used for drinking and agricultural purposes. This, they argue, shows that concerns about water shortages are exaggerated.
Excise Minister M B Rajesh, who is also from the Palakkad district, has repeatedly assured that not a single drop of groundwater will be used for the ethanol and liquor manufacturing unit.
The government also claims that alternative sources are being utilized to meet water demands. For example, the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) provides 10 million liters of water for industrial use through rainwater harvesting.
Supporters of the project argue that past anti-Coca-Cola protests were focused on issues like underground water exploitation and water pollution. They claim there is no reason for concern now, as the initial approval for Oasis was granted only after assurances that ground water would not be extracted for the project.
Why is the project important for Kerala?
The project is significant for Kerala because the state currently imports 30.26 crore litres of ethanol annually, a figure expected to rise to 75 crore litres by 2030, involving a business volume of Rs 600 crore to 1000 crore. The government's aim is to produce industrial spirit within the state and export liquor, creating more job opportunities for the youth.
Currently, spirit is imported into Kerala from states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the union territory of Daman and Diu. Maharashtra is the largest supplier, providing 2.86 lakh crore litres.
On the growing protests of the people and the recent incident in which earth movers brought for clearing the land were blocked by protestors, the company sources clarified that they do not plan to commence the work at the moment and their objective was to clean the area ahead of the contour survey.
A contour survey maps the elevation and shape of land by using contour lines, which connect points of equal height.
The Kerala Cabinet in January had approved the proposal by Oasis Commercial Pvt LTD to set up the plant subject to compliance with existing guidelines and conditions.
The company representatives said that they wanted to mark the boundary of the project site clearly and bring experts to start a study for setting up a rainwater harvesting facility as part of the brewery plant project.
Amid growing protests and a recent incident where protestors blocked earth movers brought in to clear the land, company sources stated they currently have no plans to begin construction. Their aim was merely to clean the site in preparation for a contour survey, which maps land elevation and shape using contour lines that connect points of equal height.
In January, the Kerala Cabinet approved Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd's proposal to establish the plant, provided they adhere to existing guidelines and conditions.
Company representatives noted that their focus was on marking the project site boundaries and involving experts to study the feasibility of a rainwater harvesting facility as part of the brewery plant project.
