HC orders scrutiny of permissions given to sugar factory

The Bombay High Court today directed Solapur district collector to examine the permissions given to a sugar factory, allegedly being set up by relatives of Cooperation Minister Harshwardhan Patil at Ashti village in Mohol tehsil.
The division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha, hearing a PIL filed by Ashti gram- panchayat, asked the collector to submit his findings and also convey the same to the respondents and villagers who are opposing the factory.
Last month, the court had stayed the construction of the factory.
The PIL alleged permissions were given to the factory by flouting rules. It is being come up on agricultural land and will pollute a reservoir, located about 1.5 km away, which is the only source of drinking water for the village.

"If the collector finds that permissions are in place then construction can resume," Chief Justice Shah said. The next hearing would be in June.