The Hindu Business Line : Kakinada port row resolved

The simmering row at Kakinada on whether wheat should be handled at the old anchorage port or at the new deepwater port was resolved on Thursday. Wheat unloading will begin on Friday at the new port from a Russian ship, which brought 53,000 tonnes of wheat.

Earlier in the day, the wheat vessel was berthed at the new port on receipt of quality clearance from the Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata. The vessel arrived here last week but unloading could not be taken up as clearance had to be obtained. As soon as news spread that unloading was to begin, workers at the old anchorage port resorted to a flash strike in the morning.

However, port authorities and the trade convened a meeting and the row was resolved. The strike was called off at the anchorage port in the evening and work resumed on the four vessels at the old port.

It was agreed that wheat unloading would be shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the old port and new port workers. On the issue of alleged diversion of wheat cargo from the old port to the new port, it was agreed that in the case of gearless vessels, wheat shipments would be handled at the new port, as mechanical facilities were not available at the old port. But the other vessels (ships with gears) would be handled only at the anchorage port.

Mr V. Veerababu, President of the Kakinada Cargo Boat and Steel Barge Workers' Union, said workers were persuaded to the arrangement and he expressed the hope that all parties concerned would abide by the terms of the agreement.

"There should be no diversion of wheat vessels which can be handled at the anchorage. The new port should find its own cargoes. Only when it is absolutely necessary to handle the vessel at the new port, should it be taken there. Even then, the old port workers should be compensated," he said.

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