Jammu, Sep 11: The much-hyped bio-plastic plant proposed for J&K has hit a roadblock with the executing  agency, an Italian firm, unilaterally withdrawing from the contract.
 J&K Agro Industries Corporation had signed a memorandum of understanding on August 4, 2009 for the execution of the project with the firm, Earthsoul Private Limited.
 Sources said under the contract the firm had to construct a state-of-the-art bio-plastic plant in Jammu. The mega bio-plastic plant estimated at a cost of Rs 5 crore was to come up at Bari-Brahmana Jammu.
 “The plant was to be developed, operated and maintained by the firm which had 60 percent share in the project as per the MOU,” sources said.
 The proposed plant once constructed could produce 70 metric ton of bio-plastic from Maize, Corn and Potato starch.
 All the technical assistance and imported machinery was to be installed by the firm.
 Sources said the project was also initially tried to be “sabotaged by a lobby working at the instance of some politicians and industrialists who control the plastic manufacturing sector in the state.”
 “The government even now may have deliberately put the project on the backburner as the manufacture of bio-plastics would hit the plastic industry and the people associated with it in the state,” an official wishing not to be named said.
 Pertinently, the State High Court banned the use of polythene in J&K a few years ago. According to estimates 70 percent of the garbage consists of plastic bags which choke the drains.
 Experts said the bio-plastic can check deterioration of State’s fragile eco-system.
  “The bio-plastic products degrade in six months. They gradually dissolve in soil and water without leaving any toxic effect,” they said.
 Managing Director, JK Agro Industries Corporation Limited, Abdul Majid confirmed to Greater Kashmir that the firm has backtracked from its contract.
 The MD said the firm had not started any work after signing the MOU in 2009 and even after taking Rs 1 lakh in advance from the corporation.
 “We will serve the company with a legal notice. If it does not respond, we will take legal recourse,” he said.
 He said as of now the corporation has no other proposal to install Bio-Plastic Plant.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST