Madurai: Union Fertilisers and Chemical Minister M K Azhagiri has taken steps to explore feasibility of establishing a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology in this district.

If established, this would be the sixth NIPER after those in Kolkata, Guwahati, Hajipur, Rae Baraeli and Mohali. Officials of the Pharmaceuticals department visited two places in this district to locate sites. R C Jha, Director, Pharmaceuticals, and Dr Rama Rao, Director, NIPER, told reporters that the institute would require at least 100 acres of land near city with good water and other basic facilities.

NIPER would initially offer three courses out of pharmacology, toxicology, pharmainformatics and biotechnology. 'We are looking for colleges that could collaborate in these fields. It could be Madurai Medical college or Madurai Kamaraj
University,' Jha said.

C.L.Kaul, founder Director and expert committee member of NIPER, told PTI that it NIPER was a reputed national insitute like the IITs and IIMs. 'If the approval was given by the Planning Commission and finance ministry, the insitute could be located in Tamil Nadu from the next academic year itself.

CIPET was looking for 30 acres of land for locating its centre, which would be a boon to the Plastic Industry. District Collector N.Manivannan accompanied the central team along with A.K.Viswanathan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.