Iftikhar describes believers who may have left Kashmir, but Kashmir has never left their soul
KP expatriate to invest in J&K’s thermal projects
New Delhi: A Kashmiri Pandit expatriate has offered to invest in thermal and renewable power projects in Jammu and Kashmir provided the state government also chips in with its booty. Owner of Australia based multi-billion dollar Perdaman Industries Vikas Rambal, who was here to attend a day long global conference of Kashmiri Pandit entrepreneurs offered to finance a major part of the upcoming Rs. 4000 crore thermal power plant at Udhampur.
Perdaman Industries is currently developing a US$2.5 billion urea manufacturing plant in Western Australia. It is also involved in using innovative and clean coal gasification technology; to transform sub-bituminous coal into urea.
Speaking on the occasion in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Agricultre Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir and Pradesh Congress Chief, Prof. Saifuddin Soz, Rambal even offered to transport coal for the power plant. He said in case the state government finds it difficult to procure coal, his company was ready to even transport coal from Australia, where its owns a dedicated coal mine.
Talking to KTNS later on the sidelines of the conference, Rambel, a chemical engineer who has earlier worked with Bharat Petroleum called for burying the immediate past, which led acrimonious mass exit of Kashmiri Pandits from their abode in Kashmir Valley. He said his company was ready to invest 75 per cent in any power venture provided the state government chips in with the rest 25 per cent. “I want government to share some burden to bring security to the project,” he said. He, however, added that for any investment peace was a pre-requisite and called on politicians to work for the return of calm and harmony.
Originally from Habakadal in Srinagar, Rambal’s father Perdaman Krishan Rambal (1940-2006) was a geologist. He later moved to wholesale pharmaceutical business, export business.