HYDERABAD: The State Government has resolved to operationalise the first phase of the Pharma City project coming up at Mucherla in Ranga Reddy district before the end of 2018.
Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao said the draft master plan for the prestigious project, expected to see investments to the tune of ₹ 75,000 crore and create one lakh direct and two lakh indirect jobs, was under preparation even as the Government embarked upon acquiring land for the project. An extent of 5,646 acres was already under the possession of the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation.
The Government had sought a loan of ₹ 750 crore from the HUDCO for acquiring land for Pharma City of which ₹ 350 crore had already been released. The Government had so far paid ₹ 231.21 crore towards land acquisition costs. Another ₹ 3,100 crore loan was sought from the Asian Infrastructure Bank and the Government was hopeful of receiving the assistance soon, the Minister said in reply to a query during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Zero liquid discharge
The Opposition Congress raised questions relating to the discrimination in payment of compensation for the acquired land and also sought explanation about the necessary safeguards that were being incorporated in the pharma city which was under the “Orange and Red” category industry. The Congress members raised objection to the Government’s failure to take the consent of the people in the area earmarked for the project which was mandatory in case of setting up of red category industries. The Minister said the Government was working out modalities to put in place zero liquid discharge systems for the project and was planning to set up common effluent treatment plants with a capacity of 250 million litres a day.
There would be no compromise on treating the solid wastes too and necessary safeguards would all be put in place. The Government was planning to conduct gram sabhas once the environmental impact assessment study was complete, he said advising the members not to make irrational claims that were not warranted at this juncture when several companies were venturing to put in investments in the project.
Assuring the members that the Government would take the MLAs into confidence, he advised them not to raise alarm about the project and the criticism on the prestigious project.
