There has been negligible development in two ambitious industrial projects which had elicited strong opposition from environmentalists, concerned citizens and people liable to be affected by the execution of these works.
last year, the State had signed two separate MoUs — first with Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt ltd for establishing a bottling plant at Chharba in Dehradun district at a cost of Rs 600 crore and second with Ultra Tech Cement ltd for construction of two cement plants with a phased investment of Rs 5,000 crore at Tyuni in Dehradun district and Someshwar in Almora district.
Both these projects elicited much opposition due to the expected detrimental effect on the environment of Uttarakhand. Following the MoU signed between the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand ltd (SIIDCUl) and Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt ltd for the bottling plant at Chharba, a joint inspection by Forest Department, District administration and SIIDCUl officials had established that the 60 acres land marked for this purpose falls under the deemed forest category with more than 70,000 trees planted here by the department.
The Forest (Conservation) Act is applicable on this land and its utilisation for non-forestry purposes requires the permission of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. SIIDCUl managing director and additional secretary, Industrial Development R Meenakshi Sundaram said that this land originally belonged to the Higher Education department before it was transferred to the Industry department.
"Since the Forest department had planted trees here and considering the law, we will talk to the secretary, Forests and the divisional forest officer before taking further action," he said.Regarding the two cement plants slated to be constructed by Utra Tech Cement ltd, he said that the State had issued prospective mining license to the company to find areas with suitable limestone deposits.
"The State will not provide land for these plants to the company which will buy land from private owners. The company will submit us its report following the prospective mining, after which further development will be facilitated," he said. Though both the MoUs have been touted by the State as major initiatives to facilitate employment generation and industrial development in the State, the planned bottling plant and cement plants have elicited strong opposition from villagers, environmentalists, political and social activists.
Those against the bottling plant cite non availability of water, environmental and health problems caused elsewhere in India due to such bottling plants and the existence of a thick growth of trees in the area as factors which make the venture unfeasible. Those opposing the cement plants state that these will ravage the fertile areas of the State and abet degradation of the environment which is also the base of the major income generating activities in the State.