NAMRUP, Sept 19 � The State Government and the AIDC have fulfilled the demand for the appointment of a technically sound managing director at the Assam Petrochemicals Limited, Namrup, by appointing a qualified managing director who assumed office recently.
The APL is reeling under the hike in the prices of natural gas. The price has been enhanced from Rs 3,200 in 2005 to Rs 7,633 from June, 2010 per 1,000 MSCM, which would surely escalate the production costs. It is learnt from reliable sources that the APL had been deprived of the revised APM prices applicable for the gas-based industries of the NER from Rs 3,200 to Rs 1,920 despite several representations in different platforms. The sources further revealed that unless some reduction in the pricing of natural gas is provided to the APL, it would be hard to sustain the project. It is hoped that the new managing director of the APL would convince the GAIL authorities to reduce the prices of natural gas for the APL in collaboration with the workers� union.
Set up in 1971, the APL, one of the major PSUs of the State, started commercial production of methanol or methyl alcohol and formal four years later. Since then, the APL, in which the State Government has 88 per cent share and the IDBI, 10 per cent has been marching ahead, overcoming constraints like fund crunch and competition, contributing substantial revenue to the government exchequer in the form of taxes and levies. The APL expanded its methanol plant capacity by installing a grassroot TPD plant in 1986 and a 100 TPD capacity formalin plant in 1998.
The new MD of APL told this correspondent over the phone that he would try his level best to restore the glorious position of APL, leaving no stone unturned for its development in collaboration with its employees and the Government.
