Land not allotted to Hero Honda, clarifies HP Government

Shimla, July 7 (UNI) Clarifying that no land has been allotted to Hero Honda for setting up their manufacturing unit, a government spokesman today said only initial permission had been granted to the company for setting up its unit.

Reacting to former Chief Minister P K Dhumal's open letter to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, copies of which were also released to the press yesterday, the spokesman said since no land has been allotted to the company, there was no chance of the deal being scrapped.

Hero Honda's decision to set up a manufacturing unit in Solan district of the state has run into rough weather after reports in a section of the press that the area that was being allotted to the company had over 55,000 trees that would have to be axed.

Besides, being a Demarcated Protected Forest (DPF), the mysterious death of Nalagarh DFO R L Thakur, who reports said was against allotting the land to the company, had also complicated the issue.

The spokesman said after receiving the proposal from the company, the state government considered it in the Single Window Clearance and Monitoring Authority and granted it initial permission for setting up the manufacturing unit.

The Himachal Pradesh government was keen that the Rs 550 crore investment for manufacturing of two wheelers should be finalised, as it would also provide employment to about 4,000 unemployed educated youth of the state, he said.

The spokesman said the state government has asked the company to identify suitable land in the adjoining areas for setting up the manufacturing unit.

UNI AS JN LS PM1902