Latest news with #Industries(DevelopmentandRegulation)Act
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Cheema writes to Centre, calls for strict laws on methanol supply
Chandigarh : Punjab finance, excise and taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday urged the central government to take immediate action to regulate the use of methyl alcohol (methanol) under Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951. In a letter to Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, Cheema highlighted the repeated incidents of mass casualties caused by the consumption of spurious liquor, linked to the clandestine use of methanol and underscored the serious regulatory vacuum. He said the physical appearance, odour and sedative properties of methanol closely resemble those of ethyl alcohol, making it a silent killer when diverted into the illicit liquor supply chain. Cheema's request comes in the wake of 23 deaths in Punjab's Amritsar district due to spurious liquor. Initial investigations had revealed the use of methanol in the brew. The AAP minister pointed out that despite the central government's powers to regulate industrial alcohol under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, methyl alcohol continues to fall into a grey area, leading to systematic failures in monitoring and compliance. He stressed that the present legal framework does not sufficiently address the supply chain vulnerabilities of this substance, nor does it mandate tracking mechanisms, registration of buyers, or cross-state regulation. Cheema urged the central government to treat the regulation of methanol as a matter of national interest, demanding centralised, legally enforceable action. He recommended immediate amendment of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, to explicitly include methyl alcohol as a regulated industry/substance, along with the issuance of specific and binding rules or notifications to regulate its manufacture, possession, sale, storage, and movement. The minister also suggested implementing a central mandate to track and trace the movement of methanol, including barcoding or electronic tracking, and compulsory registration of buyers and strict documentation of usage. He sought framing of supplementary legal provisions or a dedicated national law, establishing a uniform enforcement framework across all states and UTs. He also expressed hope that the central government will respond to this pressing matter of national urgency with the seriousness it deserves.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hooch tragedy: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema writes to Union minister Piyush Goyal, asks Centre to regulate methanol
1 2 Chandigarh: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday asked the Centre to enact stringent regulatory measures for methyl alcohol (methanol) under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, following the death of 21 persons in Amritsar's Majitha after consuming illicit liquor on added although it is part of industrial alcohol, methanol's unregulated production, sale and movement are leading to systematic failures in monitoring and attention to a growing "national crisis" due to rising incidence of hooch tragedies linked to the unregulated use of methanol, Cheema said the repeated loss of innocent lives due to spurious liquor manufactured using this highly toxic industrial chemical underlined a serious regulatory a letter to Union industry minister Piyush Goyal, Cheema highlighted the rising incidence of hooch tragedies across India, including in Punjab, due to the unregulated use of methanol in spurious liquor. "This issue transcends state borders and warrants immediate central legislative action," he has sought immediate amendment to the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, and its schedules to explicitly include methanol as a regulated industry/substance, leaving no room for ambiguity, he said the close resemblance of methanol to ethyl alcohol in appearance, odour, and sedative properties allowed unscrupulous elements to use it in illicit liquor production, leading to mass casualties. He pointed out the easy availability of methanol, even on online platforms, as a serious public health and safety letter argues that while IDRA empowered the Centre to regulate industrial alcohol, methanol fell in a "grey area" with unregulated production, sale, and movement. The existing legal framework inadequately addresses supply chain vulnerabilities, lacks tracking mechanisms, and has no provision for mandatory buyer registration or cross-state regulation. This, according to Cheema, facilitates the unauthorised possession, illegal diversion, accidental poisoning, and criminal use of methanol. "Repeated hooch tragedies across states underscore an alarming trend: Methanol is being clandestinely introduced into potable liquor supply chain. The online sale of methanol and its easy inter-state movement have made state-level enforcement increasingly difficult. Law enforcement agencies find themselves hamstrung in the absence of uniform national legislation, particularly when such substances are sourced across borders or through digital platforms beyond the control of local excise authorities," it said.
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
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.
