The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata port initiates steps to recover dues from Metal Box

THE Kolkata Port Trust suddenly wakes up to the reality that the sick and closed Metal Box India Ltd owes to the port authorities not less than Rs 8 crore by way of unpaid rent. The two factories of the company are located on the port land attracting rent.

As per the rehabilitation package cleared by the Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) as early as June 1996, the management of the company is to close down the No. 2 factory and reopen the No. 1. Accordingly, the management, alleges Mr Aloke Mukherjee, General Secretary, Metal Box Workers' Union, is planning to demolish the building of the No. 2 factory and transfer the leasehold land there "in connivance with real estate shirks" and in violation of the contracts with the port authorities.

"I've been trying to draw the attention of the port trust management to the machination of the Metal Box management ever since 2000 but not with much success," Mr Mukherjee said, pointing out that only recently did the port authorities sit up and send some officials to the closed factories for an on-the-spot survey. The two factories have remained closed since 1987.

Inquiries with port trust revealed that the authorities concerned recently initiated moves to recover the long-pending dues. "Metal Box is not an isolated case; there are several such cases," said a spokesman for the port, adding, "we are looking into the matter though we're not sure how much of the amount due we will be able to recover". It might be noted that the Metal Box management had filed a suit in Alipore Judge Court against Kolkata Port Trust but, as Mr Mukherjee complained, the port trust's views often went virtually unrepresented.

The spokesman for the port, however, could not say if the port authorities had made representation to the BIFR for the recovery of the dues.

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