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Our Bureau

Steel barge owners' body files suit against port officials

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Kakinada Jan. 24 A second ship, m.v. Blue Coral, carrying 53,175 tonnes of wheat arrived here at the deepwater port from Russia on Wednesday, much to the consternation of the cargo boat and steel barge workers at the old anchorage port and the barge owners.

Earlier this month, the first ship arrived from Russia carrying over 50,000 tonnes of wheat and there was a furore over handling it at the new port. The old port workers agitated and finally they were persuaded to allow that shipment after getting compensation from the new port authorities.

It is stated that both the ships are gearless and therefore they can be handled at the new port as cranes and mechanical handling facilities are available only at the new port. The anchorage port workers do not agree with the contention and they say wheat is a traditional cargo reserved for the old port and as such it should not be handled at the deepwater port.

The Kakinada Steel Barge Owners' Welfare Association has filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the move of the port authorities to allow wheat handling at the new port, which is being operated by a private consortium Kakinada Seaports Ltd.

The ship may be berthed in the deepwater port in a couple of days, and after receipt of the quality clearance certificate from the Central Food Testing Lab in Kolkata, the unloading may begin, It is scheduled to be completed in five or six days.

Meanwhile, the union leaders at the old port have left for Hyderabad to apprise the Chief Minister of the problem. The barge owners are awaiting the verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

It is learnt that due to the congestion at the major ports the Union Government is allocating some of the wheat shipments to Kakinada as well. It is stated that the political situation in Uttar Pradesh is also prompting the Union Government to expedite wheat imports and some of the cargoes are finding their way to Kakinada.

More Stories on : Wheat | Exports & Imports | Andhra Pradesh

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