The Kerala government will soon initiate steps for materializing the demand of the state pharma industry and allied sectors for establishing a comprehensive pharma park in the state, according to government sources.

According to sources, the government has now asked KINFRA, the nodal agency for implementing the project, to identify the area and it has found the suitable land in Kannur district.

Sources said that 40 acres of land was identified in Kannur district and it is an ideal place for the industrial cluster set up. However, the industry sources say that an area of 40 acres of land is not suitable for a comprehensive cluster for the pharma industry in the state. Kerala has more than 90 pharma manufacturing units and about 1000 marketing companies.

A few days ago, when the Union minister of chemicals and fertilizers visited the state, he had said that the central government would approve a pharma park in Kerala provided the state government identifies the land and provides infrastructure facilities. Moreover, the Kerala government has also plans and projects to develop the pharmaceutical industry and make the state self-sufficient in drugs production.

Meanwhile the decision of the government was welcomed by the Kerala Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA). M. Purushothaman Namputhiri, president of KPMA said that though most of the units in the association are small scale units, they will invest in the project. The park will contain sufficient infrastructure and other facilities for testing and analysis of drugs and also for imparting training to industry professionals.

Apart from the industry, several pharmaceutical organisations have made the demand for a pharma park in Kerala. The state pharmacy council had communicated to the Union and state governments for establishing a pharma park in Idukki district, and the government and private pharmacists associations had also demanded the government to set up the park in Wynadu district.

B Rajan, president of Kerala Pharmacy Council said 40 acres of land is insufficient for a comprehensive pharma park and Kannur is not an ideal place for it. He said the government should review its decision for the location and make it in Thiruvananthapuram district.