Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 (PTI) The Kerala government on Wednesday categorically rejected the allegations made by the opposition UDF regarding the allocation of liquor manufacturing plants in Palakkad.
The government clarified that a cabinet note related to this matter was not confidential, but rather publicly available on the official government website for several days.
State Excise Minister M B Rajesh accused the Congress-led opposition of "unleashing a false campaign" against the project worth crores and making baseless allegations against it.
Addressing a press conference here, Rajesh alleged that the Congress leaders were obstructing the project for helping the spirit lobby of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
He also said that the government would not backtrack from the allocation made to the Oasis Commercial Private Limited Company to start a brewery unit and other plants in Elappully in the Palakkad district.
The state government toughened its stand against the opposition as the UDF continued to level corruption allegations against it on the matter and released a cabinet note on Wednesday reiterating their claim that the decision was made without consulting concerned government departments.
The cabinet note dated January 15, which clearly mentions that no discussion was held with any other departments on the matter, was proof of this, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan alleged.
"The cabinet note states that no permission of any other government departments had been sought or any communication was held with them (on the matter)," the LoP said in a statement.
In a point-by-point rebuttal of allegations, Rajesh alleged that both the present LoP Satheesan and former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala were competing with each other to level false charges against the project.
He also made fun of Satheesan, saying the cabinet note, which he released earlier in the day claiming it as a "secret document," had been available on the official website since the day the state cabinet had taken the decision to give the nod for the brewery unit.
This itself is the proof of the transparency the LDF government has been maintaining in each matter, the minister claimed.
Vehemently rejecting the UDF's claim that the proposed brewery unit would aggravate the water crisis in Elappully and surrounding regions, Rajesh said not a single drop of underground water would be used for the project.
Reiterating that water required for the brewery unit would be collected through rainwater harvesting, he also invited the opposition leaders and media personnel to visit the successful rainwater harvesting units functioning in Elappully and nearby Chittoor on February 17.
Only 1.10 per cent of the total water being used by the entire Palakkad city is required for the proposed plant, and that also only when it becomes fully operational, the Excise Minister said, quoting figures.
Raising suspicion about the Congress's frequent criticism against the government over the brewery plant issue, Rajesh also sought to know whether Chennithala had held discussions with the spirit manufacturers outside the state.
Earlier in the day, LoP Satheesan alleged in a statement that the decision to give permission to the Oasis Company to set up "liquor manufacturing plants" was taken unilaterally by CM Vijayan and Excise Minister M B Rajesh.
Sharing the cabinet note with the media, he alleged that the document literally endorses the opposition's contention that this "controversial decision" was taken by the chief minister and the excise minister without making any consultation within the government or with the ruling LDF.
"None of the departments, like finance, water resources, industry, and local self-government, were aware of the details of the project. There is also no information about whether it was discussed in the front," he said.
The LoP sought to know why the government was so secretive in the matter.
He also questioned the lavishing of praise upon the private company in the cabinet note covering up the allegations and legal measures being faced by it.
In a sweeping move, approvals have been granted for a slew of liquor projects, including an ethanol plant, multi-feeds distillation unit, IMFL bottling unit, brewery, and brandy/wine plant, among others, he said, quoting the cabinet note.
This decision was made citing the state government's liquor policy for 2023-24, the Congress leader alleged, adding that this single decision had approved these projects simultaneously, without due consideration.
The LoP also wanted to know the opinion of LDF partners on the matter.
The UDF released the cabinet note days after the CM rejected their corruption allegation in the Assembly, stating that there was no basis for any suspicion.