Steps taken to manufacture Ethanol in sugar mill

Puducherry, Apr 23 (UNI) The Puducherry administration is taking steps to manufacture Ethanol at the cooperative sugar mill premises at Lingareddippalayam here, Chief Minster N Rangasamy told the Legislative Assembly today.

Replying to a question, he said the production of Ethanol could be possible only after setting up of a distillery inside the mill premises for which licence had already been given.

So far only preliminary works could be started following opposition from farmers in the area. The setting up of the distillery would only help to run the sugar mill in profit, he said.

The Chief Minister also said the farmers were opposing as they feared that the effluents from the distillery would pollute the ground water.

The project mooted at a cost of Rs 24 crore has now gone up to Rs 34 crore due to cost escalation, he added.

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