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Bengaluru: Orange County Resorts and Hotels Ltd (OCRHL) has addressed recent allegations and misinformation regarding its acquisition of Elk Hill Estates in Karadigodu, Kodagu. Contrary to reports suggesting the development of "hundreds of villas," OCRHL clarified that it has no plans to convert the land into residential layouts or construct large-scale housing projects.
According to a release by OCRHL, after purchasing Elk Hill Estates from the Bombay Burmah Trading Company (BBTC), OCRHL disinvested various land areas, ranging from 7 to 200 acres, to individual buyers. OCRHL has offered to manage these estates if the new owners desire, ensuring that the plantation land remains intact. The company emphasized that neither it nor the new owners have applied for any villa development projects.
OCRHL's acquisition was significantly funded by a bank, and one of the primary goals was to preserve the pristine nature of the Coorg region. The company assured that the properties were registered at full purchase rates, significantly higher than the government's guideline value, refuting claims of unaccounted financial dealings.
Addressing concerns about job security for estate workers, OCRHL stated that all eligible employees previously working for BBTC were officially appointed by OCRHL on May 22, 2024. OCRHL had insisted during negotiations that BBTC settle all accounts with workers, who were then absorbed as new appointees. BBTC also offered a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for those seeking retirement before the acquisition, and all statutory dues were settled by May 2023.
OCRHL assured in the release that the transition has been smooth, with workers continuing to live in their accommodations and experiencing no deprivation of work or benefits. The company highlighted its commitment to its employees, noting that three generations of families have worked with them at different levels.
“OCRHL has always considered our people to be our strength. We have always taken care of our people, and evidentiary to that is the fact that we have three generations of people working with us, at different levels. We believe in giving back to the community, and apart from substantially supporting the Karadigodu school, we also run a very high standard school for underprivileged children in local communities, totally free of cost. We are committed to ensuring worker security and preserving the environmental sanctity of Elk Hill Estates,” the release added.
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