Madras High Court today ordered to
impleade various ministries and South Indian Sugar Mills Association as respondents on a petition by the Consortium of Indian Farmers Association in Cuddalore District seeking to quash the notification by the Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise and Home restricting allotment of molasses for production of ethanol for Sugarcane industries.
While admitting the petition the First Bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh called for the records from the concerned authorities in this regard.
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The association challenged the order in so far as it orders the production of only 50 lakh liters of ethanol and thereby allots a mere 17,000 MT's of molasses and conversion of 10,00,000 barrels of impure spirit by eight distilleries, which fell short of the share of 20.18 crore liters of ethanol allotted for Tamil Nadu by the Centre under Ethanol Blending Programme.
The association contended that the above order was arbitrary and unreasonable restriction on the allotment of the molasses for the production of ethanol is in violation of Article 14 and 19(1)(g) of Constitution of India.
The order of restricting the centrally allocated amount of 20.18 Crore liters adversely impacts the sugarcane growers.
The distilleries attached to sugar mills are capable of producing more than 27 Crores liters of alcohol and the same can cater to the needs of potable alcohol for the local IMFL. Hence the petitioner prayed the Court to quash the order restricting the production and also to issue fresh order for the production of more ethanol by allotting more quantity of molasses and other by-products for the welfare of the sugarcane farmers.
The bench directed Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Agriculture and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to file their counter within four weeks.