JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa said today that some government and opposition MPs were pressuring Excise Department officials to grant licenses to a distillery owned by Arjuna Aloysius to extract toddy from 38,000 coconut trees in Beruwala.

The MP told parliament that only one and half litres of toddy could be extracted from a single coconut tree and that this was a move to produce artificial toddy hiding behind a license.

"Excise Department officials have refused to issue licenses to this distillery. They say that some politicians are pressuring them to issue the required licenses," he said.

Minister Eran Wickramaratne said he had not received any information that a minister or an MP had forced Excise Department officials and pointed out that the ministry would not issue licenses to any company for illegal purposes.

The JVP MP said the distillery owned by Arjuna Aloysius had not paid Rs.50 million owed to the finance ministry for the past four years and asked what action was being taken to obtain the overdue funds. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)