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Amid heightened environmental concerns over the proposed Coke plant at Chharba, near here, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Wednesday said the bottling facility would be equipped with all the safeguards.
"We understand that there are some environmental concerns regarding the proposed Coca-Cola plant. But I want to make clear the proposed plant will be equipped with all environmental safeguards," said Bahuguna.
Bahuguna was replying to a media query on reports that social activist Anna Hazare, visiting Uttarakhand next week to start his third phase of jan yatra, is also planning to oppose the Coca-Cola plant at Chharba, 30 km from here.
Last week, the Chharba village panchayat passed a resolution declaring they would not allow Coca-Cola to set up the Rs 600-crore bottling plant in the area on environmental grounds.
The chief minister also said the beverage giant would also be asked to use its corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds for the water harvesting in the area. This water, the CM, said could be utilised for the plant. He also tried to quell fears the water from the nearby Yamuna barrage would be used by the Coke plant, which, in turn, would affect the hydel projects and water for irrigation. "The barrage water will not be used. The plant will use some other water and irrigation will not be affected," he said.
Several environmentalists like Magsaysay award winner Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Avdhash Kaushal, Anil Joshi and Vandana Shiva had expressed concerns over the new proposed plant claiming that the plant would adversely affect the drinking and irrigation water in the area. Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverage, the bottling partner of Coca-Cola, on April 17 signed MoU with the State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Uttarakhand, to set up the plant on 60 acres.
A Coca Cola spokesman had earlier stated that the proposed plant would only be set up after giving "due diligence to all social, environment and legal aspects of that area".
