4 committees formed to look into damage due to Zira liquor unit, HC told

As the proceedings concerning the protest outside the distillery (Zira factory) at Ferozepur resumed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday, the Punjab government has told the court that four separate committees – to look into the crop damage, environmental damage, negative impact on humans and animals’ health due to the factory – have been constituted.

Advocate General (AG) of Punjab, Vinod Ghai, told the high court that the committees would include experts from agriculture university, officials from pollution board, and other technical experts, who will examine the extent of damage caused due to the factory. The protesters have also given a list of 10 representatives who will be included in the committees, the AG of Punjab told the court. After hearing the matter, the bench of Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj adjourned it for next hearing on February 24. Senior Advocate R S Bains had appeared on behalf of the protesters. The petitioner distillery, Malbros International Private Limited, has claimed a loss of more than Rs 17.80 crore since the forced shutdown.

The high court in the previous hearing had ordered for constituting a committee – headed by a former judge of the high court – to assess the unit’s estimated loss/damage and had directed the panel to submit its report within a period of two months to the court.