RUBBER PARK IN PATHANAPURAM

RUBBER PARK IN PATHANAPURAM

(Work on Pathanapuram Rubber Park to begin

on September 22)

Work on the proposed Rubber Park at Pathanapuram will be inaugurated by Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on September 22.Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Union Minister of State for Labour Kodikunnil Suresh said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty would attend the inaugural function.The Rubber Park at Pathanapuram, the second in the State, is being set up jointly by the Rubber Board and the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation on 52 acres of land at Mukkadavu on the Punalur-Muvatutupuzha road. The Rubber Board has made an allocation of Rs.40 crore for the project, which will provide direct employment to 4,000 persons and indirect employment to another 8,000. The park is expected to start operations in two years with 30 rubber-based units in the first phase.

The Minister said that the thrust at the park would be for biomedical and automobile products. The park would depend upon rubber plantations in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts for its raw material requirements, he said.Export of rubber products worth Rs.1,100 crore is expected annually when the park becomes fully operational. A rubber industry-based skill development centre is also planned at the park complex.

Prof. John Kurakar