The Hindu Business Line : Workers blame poor monitoring for tippler damage at Vizag

THE Indian Federation of Port and Dock Workers has alleged that the third tippler of the iron ore handling complex in the Visakhapatnam port was badly damaged on Monday afternoon and the estimated loss could be Rs 15 crore.

In a representation sent to the Union Minister for Shipping, Mr T.R. Baalu, the Secretary-General, Mr K. Pardesi Naidu, said the iron ore wagons had rammed into the tippler due to "managerial lapses and the lack of monitoring".

The federation urged the Minister to order an inquiry into the accident and initiate action against the officials responsible.

Mr K. Ratna Kishore, the port Chairman, confirmed the accident, but said the "economic life of the third tippler is already over and it is due for replacement."

He said the tippler was more than 20-years-old and the original equipment manufacturer had been summoned. "The company representatives will arrive here on Wednesday and they will see if is possible to get it repaired or whether it needs to be replaced.''

The Chairman said an inquiry had been ordered into the accident to find out whether it was due to human error or mechanical failure. "It will not be proper for me to comment on it at this juncture and it is not correct to jump to conclusions," he said.

He declined to specify the extent of damage or the cost of replacement or repairs. However, he asserted again that the economic life of the tippler was already over.

The Chairman also asserted that it would have no adverse impact on iron ore exports, as all steps would be taken to make the maximum use of the other two tipplers.

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