The Hindu Business Line : Shoaling: Haldia dock to intensify dredging

Requests
The KoPT wants DCI to deploy more dredgers, preferably the cutter type.
However, DCI pleaded its inability to organise additional dredgers in such a short notice.

Kolkata May 8 Shoaling in the Hooghly river near Haldia dock has become critical, so much as that at least two of the three oil jetties as well as the lock entrance of the dock are threatened.

Ship movements

"Normal ship movement has been maintained so far, though with difficulty," a spokesman for Haldia dock told Business Line, adding, "but we're not sure and we've, therefore, decided to take an immediate step". The immediate step, as it was pointed out, would include intensification of dredging through deployment of more dredgers in the affected stretches of the river near the dock.

Maintanance

Dredging Corporation of India (DCI), responsible for undertaking maintenance dredging in the Hooghly river, has been asked to move dredgers in the affected stretches. The Chairman of DCI was here recently to hold a meeting with the Chairman of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) to work out the strategies to tackle the present problem as also to discuss the details of the new agreement to be signed between the two organisations. The KoPT, it is learnt, wanted DCI to deploy more dredgers, preferably the cutter type. However, DCI, it is learnt, pleaded its inability to organise additional dredgers in such a short notice. Besides, two of its dredgers, earlier deployed in the Hooghly, are now dry-docking.

Emergency basis

Right now DCI has five of its dredgers, mostly trailer type, deployed in the Hooghly. There is a provision for deployment of one more, but only on emergency basis for a maximum period of 120 days. Since DCI would be hard put to mobilise additional dredgers immediately, it has, therefore, been decided that at least one of the dredgers currently operating at Auckland/Jellingham areas will be moved near the affected areas in the river near the dock.

Meanwhile, KoPT has prepared a Rs 150-crore additional maintenance dredging scheme for Haldia for immediate implementation. The scheme has been sent to the Ministry for clearance. The Ministry, it is learnt, is in favour of DCI doing the job. But then DCI has to acquire dredgers from the market to undertake the job as all its own dredgers are already deployed in various places and the current charter rates for acquisition is high. Also, the dredgers available on charter may not always be ideally suited for the Hooghly operation.

The additional scheme has been prepared because of the delay in getting clearance for the Rs 421-crore River Regulatory Scheme which involves, among other things, massive capital dredging in the Hooghly river.

The scheme, it is learnt, is now awaiting clearance of the Environment Impact Assessment Committee. Once the clearance has been obtained, it will go to Public Investment Board. The dredging requirement in the Hooghly river has jumped ever since the RR Scheme was prepared a few years ago.