Coca-Cola’s Biggest Greenfield Plant In Asia, With Rs 1000 Cr, In Telangana

As Telangana Talkies reported yesterday, a delegation of Coca Cola officials met CM KCR yesterday and have expressed interest to set up a Rs. 1,000-crore bottling plant in Telangana and has sought land for the proposed venture. Coca Cola is preferring a location close to Hyderabad. The proposal is made by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, Coca-Cola Company’s largest bottling partner in India.

A CMO release said Executive Vice President (Coca-Cola Company) and President, Bottling Investments Irial Finan and T.Krishna Kumar (Regional Head, India) of the Coca Cola Company along with their team met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat.

The Executive Vice President informed the Chief Minister that the company is interested to setup a mega plant with Rs.1000 crores investment in the state and sought the state Government support.

In view of widespread protests against the groundwater usage by the company’s plants, the Coca Cola team assured that they will participate in the community development programmes of the Government, if they are permitted with a plant. In turn, the Chief Minister assured the delegation, the Government’s full support including identifying suitable land for their plant.

Rajeev Sharma Chief Secretary, S.Narsing Rao Principal Secretary to CM, Jayesh Ranjan, MD Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation were present in the meeting.

Coco-Cola plants have been shut down in several locations in India on account of water depletion and many more are involved in legal wrangles on that count. While Telangana attracted several big ticket investments and most of them are welcomed, there is a mixed feeling for this project among the public. While Medak is facing one of it’s worst droughts, the Government needs to be sure how a new plant like in Hyderabad vicinity could affect the already depleting groundwater. Coca Cola has plant in Patancheru but this new plant could be several times bigger than that and is touted to be the largest greenfield project of Coca Cola in Asia. But it would come at a cost.