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.
Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog
I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.
The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.
Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.
The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.
This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.
Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.
Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.
The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.
This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.
Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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