ACC Ltd, India’s largest manufacturer of cement, would invest Rs 280 crore to set-up a cement plant in Udupi district of Karnataka. The planned plant would have a capacity of 1-million tonne per annum (mtpa) fly ash-based Portland Pozzolana cement. This will be the fifth plant for ACC in Karnataka. The company has already signed the deal with the state government and is working out the specific details like capacity, investment and land availability before going to the board for final approval. ACC is looking for land in Yellur and Padebettu villages in Udupi district, close to the Udupi Power project, from where it wishes to source fly ash. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has identified 71.19 acres of land in these villages. Another 94 acres of private land has also been identified and the final notification for acquisition is yet to be issued by the state government. ACC’s current installed capacity in the country is 30 mtpa. It has 16 cement factories and 40 ready-mix concrete making units. Its Wadi plant in Gulbarga district has the single largest cement kiln in the world, of 13,000 tonnes a day.