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The Elapully grama panchayat in Palakkad has decided to approach the Kerala High Court against the State government regarding the contentious brewery issue in the panchayat.
The State government had approved Oasis Commercial Pvt. Ltd.’s brewery project at Elapully without consulting the local panchayat, sparking widespread protests against the proposal.
The panchayat governing council decided to take legal action against the State government on Monday (September 29, 2025), citing infringement on local body rights. The move was supported by five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, while eight Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] members opposed it. The Congress, with nine members, is ruling the panchayat.
Panchayat president Revathy Babu pointed out that local issues such as land use, conservation of paddy fields and wetlands, drinking water supply and waste management fall squarely under the panchayat’s authority.
The governing body is planning to take legal action, stating that approving an industry with potential environmental risks without the panchayat’s initial approval and ignoring civic laws would go against the people’s interests.
The panchayat secretary informed the governing body that using government funds for legal action against the State government would not be feasible. But the council has asked the secretary to seek legal advice from the government pleader on how to proceed with the case against the government.
The Oasis company approached the secretary directly, bypassing the governing body, for approval of the layout plan provided by the Town Planner. When the governing body objected, the secretary reportedly cited amended rules, stating that governing council sanction was not required. The panchayat president criticised the move as being against local interests and aimed at undermining the panchayat’s authority. She said she would challenge it in court.
Published – September 29, 2025 05:53 pm IST
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