Kochi, 19 Dec (H.S.):The Kerala High Court has overturned the state government’s preliminary approval granted to Oasis Company to set up a brewery in Elappully, Palakkad, citing procedural lapses and lack of adequate study before issuing the sanction.

A Division Bench led by Justice Satish Nainan observed that the government had acted hastily without conducting a detailed assessment prior to granting clearance. The court noted that the decision was taken in violation of mandatory procedural requirements and emphasised that any further consideration must be based on a comprehensive study of environmental and local conditions.

The preliminary approval had been issued on January 16, 2025. The decision was challenged through multiple petitions questioning the sustainability and environmental impact of establishing a brewery in the region. Petitioners argued that Elappully is already a water-scarce area and that allowing a brewery to extract large quantities of groundwater would lead to severe depletion, potentially turning the region into a “dry belt.”

Countering these claims, the state government maintained that all rules and procedures had been followed while issuing the approval. However, the court found that the assessment was insufficient and directed the government to revisit the proposal only after conducting a thorough and detailed study.

Local residents and environmental activists have been expressing concerns over the potential strain on groundwater resources, given Palakkad’s recurring water scarcity issues. The High Court’s ruling offers temporary relief to those opposing the project while mandating a more rigorous evaluation process before any future decisions are made.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman