Kolkata, Sep 24: Balmer Lawrie and Company Ltd, a government of India undertaking, is planning to set up an industrial packaging unit at Asauti in Uttar Pradesh. The company had closed down a similar unit at Turvhe in Maharashtra last fiscal.

"We have closed down the Turve unit, manufacturing steel drums, LPG cylinders and industrial packaging products but are planning to set up another unit at Asauti," managing director P K Bishnoi told reporters after company's annual general meeting here. He said all the 130 workers at Turve unit had been given voluntary retirement and the plant and equipment were being shifted to other centres.

"It has also been decided to sell the land of the Turve unit," Bishnoi said.

To a query, the managing director said the closure of Turve unit would not affect output as the plant and machinery would be installed at one of their other 12 units. "In reality, total production might go up as a new plant is being planned," he said.

Asked to comment on the progress of disinvestment of the company, Bishnoi said he was not in a position to do so.

Bureau Report