PANAJI: Stating that the government is keeping a vigilant watch over the setting up of a distillery and brewery at Amdai in Sanguem taluka, which was cleared by the Investment Promotion Board, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Friday said that although the particular project has been cleared by the IPB, it would not go any further if opposed by autonomous statutory authorities.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, Parsekar said the permission given by the board to all the projects, is subject to the clearances from authorities such as the Goa State Pollution Control Board, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority and so on.
“These authorities will inspect all the pros and cons linked to the distillery and brewery project, including the aspect of air and water pollution, before allowing it to function,” he added.
The project, involving construction of Rs 78-crore distillery and Rs 60-crore brewery is promoted by Delhi-based Vani Agro Farms Pvt Ltd.
Minister for Industries Mahadev Naik, during the recent budget session of the state legislative assembly had admitted that the particular industry falls under the red category as classified by the state industrial policy, further acknowledging that alcohol factories do not come under the list of thrust areas of the board.
Parsekar said the five-star hotels also falls under the red category, but are allowed to operate in the state.
“The core of the issue therefore is that any project that is permitted in the state should not cause any kind of pollution,” he maintained.
Incidentally, allegations have been levelled against the government of going out of the way and making special concessions for this project, especially in the allotment of land for the same.
“We have cleared the project without giving special treatment to it,” Parsekar, who is the IPB chairman, maintained adding that the project was considered by the members of the board, just as they would consider any other project, on its merits and demerits.
Responding to the public resistance for the particular project, the Chief Minister admitted that there is indeed some opposition to it. “However, the opposition is coming from a certain local group of limited people,” he observed, noting that one should not overlook the fact that lots of jobs would be created for the locals by way of this project.
Interestingly, the thrust areas as specified in Goa investment policy are knowledge-based industry, R&D centres and financial services; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; integrated educational hubs; tourism; light engineering; aviation, aerospace and defence; information technology: hardware and electronics; and agro-based and food processing industries.
Alcohol factories do not come under the list of thrust areas of the board.