The Hindu Business Line : Low turnout at maritime varsity issue meeting

Mumbai June 18 A 30-member Parliamentary team, headed by CPI (M) MP Mr Sitaram Yechury, which arrived on Monday for a two-day meeting with stakeholders associated with the proposed maritime University and the amendment to the Seafarers Provident Fund Act, was unhappy over the turnout on the first day of the meeting.

Sources said that the MPs were not happy with the way the meeting was organised by the Directorate-General of Shipping (DG-S), with many of the stakeholders not being intimated about the meeting on time.

According to the sources, even the Indian National Shipowners Association (INSA), the apex body representing the ship owners in the country, and the Mumbai Port Trust, among others, were not informed about the meeting and hence, could not participate on day one.

When contacted at the end of the first day of the meeting, Mr Yechury did not wish to go into the issue but said that he was "disturbed" that many of the stakeholders were not present at the meeting.

"It is not often that a Parliamentary team comes to meet the stakeholders related to crucial issues," he said, adding that he hoped the turnout would be better on day two.

Report on Bills soon

Mr Yechury said that the Parliamentary team, which heard the views of some of stakeholders on the two issues, would be soon submitting its report on the two Bills that have been introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Its report on the proposed maritime University would, however, take some more time as it involves a total of 256 stakeholders.

Replying to a question, he said that the meeting did discuss suitable locations for the proposed University and Mumbai, being the hub of shipping activities, was one of them. Earlier, it was proposed to be located in Chennai.

On the seafarers PF issue, the MP said that the report would be drafted soon, the main focus being on safeguarding and strengthening the interests of seafarers.

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