Uttarakhand govt to give new site for Coke plant

Move follows company's ecision to look for an alternate site for its proposed bottling plant elsewhere after opposition botched Chharba plan

The Uttarakhand government is ready to provide new land to beverage giant Coca-Cola at Sitarganj industrial estate in Kumaon region for setting up its bottling plant.

The move follows Coca-Cola’s decision to look for an alternate site for its proposed bottling plant elsewhere, after opposition on environmental grounds botched the company’s plan in Chharba, near here.

“We understand that Coke needs land at a place where there is plenty of surface water. We are ready to offer them land at our Sitarganj industrial estate,” said Additional Chief Secretary (ACR) Rakesh Sharma.

Sharma, however, did not elaborate further.

Senior officials here claimed the government was desperate to push forward the industrialisation process in Sitarganj industrial estate where it is also offering slew of sops for mega projects. Coke is planning to invest more than Rs 600 crore in the bottling plant.

Last week, a spokesman of the Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverage Limited (HCCBPL), the Indian arm of Coca-Cola, had stated it was discussing with the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) and the state government for a review of alternate sites in an industrial area with adequate infrastructure facilities already in place.

Without making any reference to the Chharba botched plant where villagers were opposing it on environmental grounds, the spokesman said the Chharba site did not meet environmental due diligence requirement.

Earlier last week, the high court in Nainital had also asked the state government to return 25 acres of land at Chharba to the local gram panchayat, which was up in arms against Coca Cola for setting up the bottling plant in the area.

Last year, HCCBPL had signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the SIDCUL, the government-controlled nodal agency for industrial development, to set up the plant Chharba, a move which has caused a controversy on environmental grounds.

The Chharba village panchayat had played spoilsport to the deal by unanimously passing a resolution declaring it would not allow the beverage MNC to go ahead with its plans to set up the bottling plant.