The Hindu Business Line : AP Govt calls meet to resolve row in Kakinada port

THE row between the workers of the old anchorage port of Kakinada and the deep-water port authorities over alleged cargo diversion, especially iron ore, is hotting up.

The State Government has convened a high-level meet on Friday in Hyderabad to hear the representations of all parties and resolve the issue.

At a press meet here on Thursday, Ch. Sankara Rao, State General Secretary of the Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS), to which the old port workers' union is affiliated, said that the port officials had completely bungled the issue and let down the workers.

"In blatant violation of the agreement, the deep water port authorities are diverting the traditional cargoes such as iron ore reserved for the old port and the authorities are remaining mute spectators," he alleged.

He said the Government had given a categorical assurance at the time of the commissioning of the new port that the interests of the 10,000 workers dependent on the old port would not be sacrificed. "Even a clause had been incorporated in the agreement and yet the Government is unable, or unwilling, to protect the workers," he alleged.

Earlier, after a tussle, the port authorities had worked out a compromise formula regarding iron ore that 60 per cent would be handled at the new port and the rest at the old port for each shipment.

"However, in violation of the agreement, again earlier this month a Chinese ship was taken directly to the new port for loading of iron ore. The workers blocked the channel for two days and kept the ship waiting. Still, there was no proper response from the Government," he said.

He warned that with the support of all trade unions the agitation would be intensified, if the Government did not protect the interests of the old port workers.

At a press conference earlier on Wednesday, the authorities of the new port asserted that Kakinada Seaports Ltd (KSPL) had the right to handle iron ore and no clause had been violated.

Mr Tripathi, General Manager, Operations, and Mr M. Muralidhar, the Deputy General Manager, said that according to the agreement the company had the right to handle cargo generated by its own efforts.

"We are well within our rights to handle such self-generated cargo. We have invested huge amounts in developing the railway sidings and stacking areas necessary for loading iron ore," they said.

In a bid to resolve the issue, the State Government invited all parties concerned to the capital and a high-level meet would be held on Friday. The Government had constituted a three-member Cabinet sub-committee to go into the issue.

Record iron ore loading: In a press release issued on Thursday, the Kakinada Seaports Ltd said that 31,501 tonnes of iron ore had been loaded into M.V. Balboa during Wednesday and Thursday during 24 hours. This was the highest-ever load rate achieved through manual handling at any port in the country, the release claimed.

More Stories on : Shipping | Andhra Pradesh

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Air cargo carriers hike fuel surcharge

IA insurance premium down 18% for 2004-05

SriLankan Airlines mulls Kochi-Maldives flight

Bid to ease congestion at Kochi port — Steamer agents mull `vessel delay surcharge'

Kochi port initiates action plan

AP Govt calls meet to resolve row in Kakinada port

Cognizant system for Ford

SkyBus test runs to resume: KRC chief

Rlys penalises firms for overloading — Mulls higher penalty