Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 25: State health minister, U T Khader, has evinced interest in setting up pharma park in Dakshina Kannada district and has set the ball rolling towards this end. He has asked the district administration to identify land for the purpose and send a proposal for pharma park.

Speaking at a meeting held in this connection, he said that pharma parks in which pharmaceutical companies can open their units, needs a minimum land of 100 acres of land. He expressed the opinion that land can be carved out of 170 acres of land that is available at Kanara Industrial Area at Mudipu for the purpose.

Khader said that he had met union minister, Anant Kumar, on the issue, and that the minister had agreed for the proposal. He said that the central government would be meeting the grant needed for setting up of the park. He said that the state would forward the proposal for the park if the district administration submits the same.

The minister noted that pharma parks do not damage the environment too much, and that it will provide employment to about 200 people, besides developing Mudipu industrial area. He added that infrastructure development for the purpose would have to be undertaken by karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.

Deputy commissioner of the district, A B Ibrahim, special land acquisition officer of KIADB, Dase Gowda, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Rammohan Pai Maroor, and Gaurav Hegde of Kanara Small Scale Industries Association, were present.