Diversification and Integration

Diversification and Integration Hansavivek BALLARPUR PAPER, which had earlier proposed to locate its titanium project in Kerala, has approached the Department of Atomic Energy to permit it raw material from sources in Orissa, since the Kerala government has decided to establish a titanium complex in the public .sector and has withdrawn support to the company's scheme. The company intends to set up a newsprint mill at Neila Terrace, situated in Hima- chal Pradesh between Bhakra and Nan- gal. An application has been made for a licence for import of plant and machinery. Construction of factory buildings for the Karwar project is expected to be completed by the middle of next year. Apart from increasing the capacity of the chlor-caastic plant, from 100 to 150 tonnes per day, the company is seeking government permission to in crease the licensed capacity of the sodium tripolyphosphate plant, from 10,000 to 24,000 tonnes per annum. Some 3,000 acres of leasehold land has been acquired from Gujarat government for manufacturing annually about 1,20,000 lakh tonnes of salt and its byproducts for use at the Karwar plant. The Ballarpur division's chlor-caustic project, which is expected to be commissioned by June next, would not only make the paper unit self-sufficient in its requirements of caustic soda and chlorine but would also leave surplus caustic soda for marketing. The new MG machine, commissioned in February last, will help increase production of paper by about 10,000 tonnes per annum. Owing to delay in the supply of the turbo-alternator set by Bharat Heavy Electricals, the captive power plant is now expected to be commissioned by June 1973. The chlor-caustic plant of the Shree Gopal division is expected to be commissioned by January or February next, and erection of the coating plant is scheduled to be completed by June.