Bombay HC extends stay on MPCB's closure order against Rohit Pawar's manufacturing unit till October 16

Bombay High Court on Friday extended till October 16 an interim order staying the operation of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board's (MPCB) order directing Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar to close down a part of his firm Baramati Agro Ltd.

A division bench presided over by Justice Nitin Jamdar has scheduled a hearing for a plea submitted by Baramati Agro Ltd, contesting the closure order issued by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), for October 16. The bench has instructed the MPCB to submit its affidavit in reply to the petition and has slated the matter for a hearing on October 13.

On September 29, the court had in an interim order directed the authorities to not act on the order till October 6 (Friday). Appearing for the MPCB, senior counsel Milind Sathe on Friday urged the court to vacate the stay alleging that there was a large-scale violation on the part of the petitioner.

The bench, however, noted that the MPCB ought to put forth its submissions in an affidavit first. The firm in its plea filed through advocate Akshay Shinde alleged that the order has been passed owing to political influence and considering the present political situation to pressurise the director of the petitioner company i.e. Rohit Pawar, who is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra.

Rohit Pawar, who is the grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar, is the CEO of Baramati Agro Ltd. Baramati Agro Ltd is involved in the manufacturing of animal and poultry feed, sugar and ethanol, co-generation of power, trading agri-commodities, fruits and vegetables and dairy products. Earlier this month, the Board issued a show cause notice to the company which was responded to and a personal hearing was also held.

However, the MPCB officials failed to take into consideration any explanation, clarification or evidence submitted by the petitioner company and issued an order on September 27 directing to close down the manufacturing activities of the unit within 72 hours, the plea said.