Rs 1,700 cr drug park project in limbo, BJP leader slams govt

Haroli BJP leader Ram Kumar Sharma on Sunday alleged that the state government had been delaying the Bulk Drug Park project in Haroli Assembly segment, which was sanctioned by the Union government during the Jairam Thakur led BJP government.

Addressing the media here, Ram Kumar said it took two years for the state government to apply for the Environment and Forest Clearance at the Union Ministry level and what they submitted were incomplete documents, to which the Centre had sought many clarifications. He said about one and a half months ago, the state government finally addressed the issues and without wasting any further time, the Union government’s Environment clearance for the Rs 1,700 crore rupee project has now been received.

The BJP leader said 80 per cent of the raw material for pharmaceuticals, known as the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) was being purchased by India from China and the Narendra Modi government sanctioned three Bulk Drug Park Projects in the country with one being finalised at Polian Beet village in Haroli segment. The national significance for the project can be judged from the fact that the PM himself came to Una to lay the foundation stone.

Ram Kumar charged that the Congress leaders have been opposing the project from day one, adding that the then president of the Haroli Congress had approached the then Una Deputy Commissioner for his negative remarks on setting up the project here. When that did not happen, two persons, owing allegiance to the Haroli Congress, filed petitions in the court, which were also set aside.

Ram Kumar said the Union government has already sent the first instalment of Rs 250 crore for the infrastructure development, but work is going on at a snail’s pace. He said only a few tube wells have been drilled to provide water supply at the proposed Centre. He called upon the CM and Dy CM to take up with the Centre, the Rs 170 crore project to lift water from the Satluj river at Bhabour Sahib in Una district for supply to the Drug Park since the Centre has agreed to fund the activity.

The BJP leader said once the project sees the light of the day, the Haroli Assembly segment in particular and Una district in general will witness an economic boom with direct and indirect employment opportunities. He said the state government needs to expedite the efforts on the drug park.