The Kerala cabinet today asked the Chief Secretary to get a clarification from a senior bureaucrat for his expression of regret over “failure to save” Coca Cola plant at Plachimada, which ran counter to the ruling LDF’s stand.
“The Chief Secretary has been asked to get a detailed clarification from T. Balakrishnan on his remarks,” Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
While addressing a business meet at Kozhikode two days back, Mr. Balakrishnan, Principal secretary (Industries), said it was rather “unfortunate that the Coca Cola plant could not be saved from virtual closure.”
Mr. Achuthanandan had yesterday criticised the official for his remarks. “The views aired by the official ran counter to that of the LDF Government as protecting those extracting water is not our policy,” he said.
The development caused embarrassment to the government as a High Powered Committee set up by the cabinet recently recommended steps to realise compensation from Coca Cola for “losses” caused to people in the plant locality in Palakkad district.
Mr. Balakrishnan had made the remark in the presence of Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem, a CPI(M) member in the cabinet.
Mr. Kareem, however, distanced himself from the views of the senior official, making it clear that the government did not share his opinion.
The plant of the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Ltd has been dysfunctional for the last few years facing legal problems and agitations by resistance groups, alleging that the company has depleted ground water and grievously harmed the environment.
A multi-member committee set up by the government had two months back recommended steps to realise Rs. 216 crore as damages from the multinational beverages giant “for losses it caused to people in the area.”
