The Zira liquor factory, operated by Malbros International Private Limited (located in Mansoorwal Kalan, Tehsil Zira, District Firozepur), came under controversy in 2022 when nearby farmers and villagers accused it of polluting groundwater.
(SNPNEWS.IN News Update) Sep 2025: The factory was established in 2006 by Deep Malhotra, a former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA and liquor businessman. In 2014, it was upgraded to include an ethanol unit for both domestic and commercial use, alongside its distillery operations.
In 2022, farmers and residents of nearby villages accused the factory of polluting groundwater. Following this, farmer unions and residents of approximately 30-40 villages staged protests outside the factory, demanding its closure.
After the issue gained media attention, the Public Action Committee (PAC, Mattewara Chapter), through its members Kapil Dev and Jaskirat Singh, along with panchayats of around 40 villages, filed a complaint with the NGT.
Key Points:
● Deep Malhotra, a former Akali Dal MLA, established the Zira liquor factory in 2006.
●The factory became embroiled in controversy in July 2022 due to allegations of groundwater pollution.
● In July 2022, a joint committee comprising the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), State Groundwater Board, and the Firozepur Deputy Commissioner was formed. The committee’s investigation report favored the factory.
● On 11 August 2022, PAC filed a report against the factory in the NGT.
● Amid protests and widespread discussion across Punjab, the Punjab Government announced the factory’s closure in 2023.
Protests and Legal Proceedings:
The protests outside the factory lasted for six months (July 2022 to January 2023). The factory management approached courts and the government to lift the protests and prove their compliance.
The NGT formed a joint committee in September 2022 and sought a report. In 2023, a CPCB report declared the groundwater unsafe, leading to the Punjab Government’s announcement to shut down the factory in January 2023 due to public outrage.
Despite being closed for over one and a half years, the factory management has been actively engaging with the High Court and NGT officials to resume operations.
According to local journalist Babbu Khosa, the factory management, through their lawyer, appeared in court and submitted a written request stating that they are willing to permanently close the liquor distillery and demolish its structure. However, they sought permission to operate the 180 kLD ethanol unit within the factory complex.
Khosa further reported that when local residents were asked about the factory’s plea to restart the ethanol unit, they expressed strong opposition to granting any relief to the factory.