HC bans palm oil imports through Kochi port

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday banned the import of palm oil through Cochin port until further orders. Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, the single judge, who is hearing the appeal filed by the Central government, the Kerala government and Coconut Development Board (CDB), temporarily banned the import through the port.

The hearing will continue before the single bench against the stay order on DGFT's notification to ban import. The court, however, allowed the unloading of palm oil from the vessel which is currently parked at the port.

Justice S Sirijagan, the single judge, who had stayed the ban order of the DGFT, has withdrawn from the case as chief minister V S Achuthanandan severely criticised the court order. Later, the case was shifted to Justice Thottathil Radhakrishnan.

Meanwhile, the chief minister clarified on Tuesday that he did not intend to criticise or make any personal remarks on the judge, but only tried to project the hardships faced by the coconut growers due to the sharp increase in the imports of palm oil.