STRAWBERRY PACT: Mumbai-based
Gemini Agritech Ltd and Israel-based
Plastro Gvat have entered into a technical arrangement for the supply of
strawberry cultivation technology
and support on a turnkey basis. The
company has also made a marketing
arrangement with Holland's Flodac B
V for a period of five years for its
floriculture project. The agreement
came into force when the company
decided to set up a 100 per cent export
oriented unit in horticulture and
floriculture at an estimated cost of
Rs 8.75 crore.
CARING FOR WASTE: Test runs of
garbage incinerator developed by
Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Ltd, that converts leftover ash into
slag, will begin this month. The incinerator is designed to process a relatively small four metric tonnes a day.
The system is expected to be more
efficient in producing beat for generating electricity. The
company has invested almost US $9.2
million in a Yokohama test facility
and hopes to commercialise the system in 1998. The
company is eager to establish a stronger presence in environmental technology, particularly in waste disposal.
MODERN MODEL TOWN: Japan-based
Ebara Corporation plans to construct a 'model town' to recycle all
garbage as reusable materials, fertilisers or energy (through incinerators) in Fujisawa by 2000 AD. Company officials said that Fujisawa city
will assist the project which is estimated to cost US $92.6 million. The
model town will feature farms, residences and factories. The residual
heat of the incinerators will be used
by firms for air conditioning and
heating. The firm also plans to harness solar energy and install a water
saving system. The local governments which are facing garbage-processing problems are expected to
take interest in the project.
DEVELOPING PORTS: An associate of the
UAE-based Al Fajr
group, the Ocean
Dredging Private
Ltd, a dredging,
mining and marine
transportation company, plans to invest Rs 200 crore in
Kerala. Obeid Humaid Ali al
Mazroie, chairperson of the Fajr
group, who was here to hold discussions on his group's investment
plans with the Kerala government
and various department heads, said
that his company would be interested in infrastructure development at
ports and in development of inland
waterways. The company will also
bid for the upcoming harbour construction projects in India.
GREEN SOLES: A first of its kind set-up
for manufacturing eco-friendly rubber soles has been established by
Liberty Shoes in Karnal. These soles
were hitherto imported by the Indian
footwear industry. Made out of
steren butadene rubber, these biodegradable and recyclable indigenous soles cost Rs 65 per pair as compared to the Rs 150 per pair for the
imported ones. Adish Gupta, managing director of the company said
'that no company in India manufactures rubber soles with this technology. He said that the Rs 1.5 crore
Taiwan assisted facility produces
7,000 pairs of soles per day.
AID TO CHANGE: The World Bank
announced the approval of a US $63
million credit to assist Coal India in
dealing effectively
with environmental
issues around its
mines. Coal India
will shell out an
additional US $21
million which will
take the total project cost to US $84 million. The project aims to help Coal India change
its approach in dealing with the concerns of the people living in the areas
around their mines.
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