The Hindu Business Line : Workers' body against separate port for large users

Stating that the Centre should support existing major ports for its overall development, the Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI) has demanded that the Government should refrain from conceding the demand of large users to establish separate ports near major ports.

The Federation's reaction comes in the wake of permission sought by South Korean steel major Posco from the Orissa Government to set up a separate port at Jatadhari, seven km south of Paradip Port.

The Federation said that instead of giving sanction to set up a new port, the Government should ask Posco to negotiate with Paradip Port Trust to arrive at a best possible solution to meet its needs for port facilities in India.

Mr M.M. Lawrence, President of the Federation, said that Paradip Port is planning construction of a deep harbour with 16-m draft to handle iron ore vessels of one lakh DWT size. Therefore, there is no need to establish another port in the vicinity.

The port has the statutory responsibility and expertise to cater to the growing needs of industry in the region.

It handled nine million tonnes of iron ore in 2004-05, which it is half of its iron ore handling capacity.

Paradip is a major port notified under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. The very purpose of notifying a major port is to meet large-scale needs for port facilities in the region, he added.

The MoU that the Orissa Government had entered into with Posco provides the option to use port facilities at Paradip Port.

The company, in accordance with the terms of the MoU, might require port facilities to export about 30 per cent of iron ore extracted from its captive mine for which it may secure mining concessions in Orissa, he said.

It also requires port facilities to import an equivalent quantity of iron ore from Brazil under a swap arrangement, he added.

According to Mr Lawrence, the Indian Ports Act, 1908 and creation of separate trust for the Bombay and Calcutta ports provides a clear direction to public policy.

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