QURGHON TEPPA, August 8, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Open joint-stock-company (OJSC) Tajikkhimprom (the chemical plant in Yovon) has demanded that the Yovon central district hospital should return two buildings, which currently place TB and infectious-diseases departments, to the plant’s jurisdiction, Ms. Tojinisso Sharipova, deputy head of the Yovon district, told Asia-Plus today.  

According to her, the company also demands the return of two kindergartens to its jurisdiction, while the Yovon district government assumed maintenance of these two preschool institutions when the plant stood idle for long time.    

She added that local authorities had provided considerable funds for rehabilitation of the kindergartens and two buildings of the hospital. 

It is to be noted that all these social facilities had previously been under jurisdiction of Tajikkhimprom and new owners of the plant now demand the return of them to Tajikkhimprom’s jurisdiction.  

In the meantime, the Khatlon health directorate head Sherali Buzmakov said that the buildings for TB and infectious-diseases departments had been rented from Tajikkhimprom.  “New owners of the plant now demand that we should leave the buildings,” Buzmakov said, noting that they applied to the Khatlon governor for assistance with solution of the issue.  “According to our data, the Khatlon governor Ghaybullo Avzalov has sent a letter to Tajikkhimprom requesting for solution of the issue and we hope it will be solve positively,” the Khatlon health directorate head said.  

We will recall that British-based company MIRUMIR Ltd acquired open joint-stock company (OJSC) Tajikkhimprom (chemical plant in Yovon) for 12.5 million somonis (equivalent to $3.6 million) at international tender on January 3, 2008.  

In accordance with tender’s requirements, MIRUMIR Ltd should repay all enterprise’s debts, invest 20.5 million somonis ($5.9 million) in modernization of the plant in the coming three years.  Besides, the enterprise should produce $15.5 million worth of output during 2-3 years.  

 According to the State Committee for Statistics, OJSC Tajikkhimprom is the only enterprises in Tajikistan and one of three within the CIS area, producing different types of chemical goods such as caustic soda, liquid chlorine, chloride of lime, calcium hypochloride and other chemical goods.  The company was established in 1999 on the basis of the Yovon chemical plant and was registered with authorized capital of 15.3 million somonis.