CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurates Rs 2,700 cr caustic soda unit in Andhra Pradesh

Balabhadrapuram (East Godavari dist): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumaramangalam Birla, on Thursday inaugurated Grasim Industries Limited's caustic soda manufacturing unit at Balabhadrapuram in East Godavari district.

The Chief Minister, in the company of Birla, went round the plant and inspected various aspects of its design and safety features. The unit would reach a production capacity of 1,600 tonnes per day in three phases, entailing a total investment of Rs 2,700 crore. The project would provide direct employment to 1,300 people and indirect employment to another 1,150, Birla said on the occasion. He said 75 per cent of the jobs would be given to the locals in accordance with the state law. Grasim Industries acquired an ailing caustic soda manufacturing unit from KPR Industries in 2019 as part of its plans to expand its Chlor-Alkali business. Grasim currently has a 29 per cent capacity share in caustic soda manufacturing in the country. The Aditya Birla Group Chairman said Grasim completely revised the design of the Balabhadrapuram plant, incorporating a combined water treatment-cum-effluent treatment and recycling plant with Zero Liquid Discharge facility.

This would ensure no liquid went out of the site, leaving no possibility of contamination of ground water. Also, modern Electrostatic Precipitators for dust absorption and elaborate scrubbing system for exhaust gases have been put in place and connected to the Central Pollution Control Board's online monitoring system.

A three-layer safety design has also been put in place, along with a state-of-the-art command and control centre to manage emergencies.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that cases filed against people who protested against the setting up of the plant would be withdrawn and Government Order to the effect issued.

Speaking on the occasion Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, lauded the State government's approach in setting up industries and thanked the Chief Minister for his contribution on this count. He stated that it was the eighth Chlor-Alkali plant in the country, which is expected to strengthen the East-West corridor. He said that Aditya Birla Group is a leading global producer of Viscose Staple Fiber, the largest Chlor-Alkali, Linen and Insulators in India and runs various operations through subsidiaries like UltraTech Cement, Aditya Birla Fashion and Aditya Birla Capital. Ministers Taneti Vanita, Gudivada Amarnath, Ch Venugopala Krishna, Pinipe Viswaroop, Dadisetti Raja, MLA Kurasala Kannababu, and other officials were present at the event.