Punjab Minister Harpal Cheema urges Centre to amend law regulating methanol; cites misuse in Amritsar hooch tragedy
CHANDIGARH: Following the recent Amritsar hooch tragedy, Punjab Finance and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has urged Union Minister Piyush Goyal to regulate methanol under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.
In his letter, Cheema urged the Central Government to take immediate action to regulate the use of methyl alcohol (methanol) under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951. He emphasised the urgent need for stricter controls on this highly toxic industrial chemical to prevent further loss of life.
Highlighting repeated mass casualties from spurious liquor, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stressed the regulatory gap around methanol. He noted its similarity to ethyl alcohol makes it a silent killer when diverted into the illicit liquor supply chain.
He pointed out that despite the Centre's authority to regulate industrial alcohol under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, methanol remains in a grey area, resulting in systematic failures in monitoring and compliance.
He emphasised that the current legal framework does not address vulnerabilities of this substance for tracking, buyer registration, and cross-state regulation, leaving the methanol supply chain vulnerable.
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