Patna, March 21: Patna High Court today vacated its stay on the construction work of Vijay Mallya-owned UB Group’s beer factory at Naubatpur block in Patna district.
A division bench of Justice Prakash Chandra Verma and Justice Vikash Jain passed the order while disposing of a bunch of petitions filed by the aggrieved farmers whose plots were acquired by the state government for setting up industries in the vicinity.
The court, however, made it clear that it was not dealing with the issue of land acquisition in the instant case as the brewery major has agreed to pay additional amount to the aggrieved petitioners (farmers) and hence, the petitioners would not obstruct the construction work.
Bihar Industries Association (BIA), a representative body of industrialists which has been vociferously putting up the case for the state’s industrialisation, president KPS Keshri told The Telegraph: “It is certainly a welcome judgement clearing the construction work. This means that it has paved the way for attracting more and more investments to the state.”
Keshri said the decision vindicates Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority’s (Biada) stand that acquisition has been done for public purpose for industrial activity. Ultimately, the beer factory is also an agri produce-based industry, he added. These farmers (petitioners) have sought quashing of land acquisition and subsequent transfer of land to UB Group for setting up a beer factory at Naubatpur.
On February 15, the court had stayed the construction work of the said beer factory.
Appearing for the petitioners, Ambuj Nayan Choubey submitted that the state government has acquired about 96 acres in Kopakalan village of Naubatpur block of Patna district for setting up sugar and other related factories in the area in 2008.
The government later handed over the said land to the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (Biada), which transferred 42 acres to the UB Group from 96 acres in 2011 on a 90-year lease deed, he said. Of the 42 acres transferred to UB Group, around 13 acres belonged to 27 farmers who have approached the court for quashing of the acquisition and the UB lease deed.
