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Our Bureau

Kolkata, Dec. 8 As many as 23 Haldia-bound vessels are held up at the Sandheads, the mouth of the Hooghly river, following suspension of normal work at the Haldia dock for the third day on Saturday. Dock workers cutting across party lines are on strike. Within the dock, as many as 14 ships, including tankers, bulk carriers and other vessels, are idling. The average daily cargo throughput at Haldia dock is estimated at 1.2 lakh tonnes.

The agitation, which started on Thursday following the death of a cargo-handling worker in an accident, is believed to have been spearheaded by the CITU-affiliated union with support from others affiliated to INTUC, AITUC and HMS. The unions are demanding job to the next of kin and immediate upgradation of medical facilities through tie-ups with private hospitals; they complain that the facilities at the dock’s hospital are far from adequate.

Dr A.K. Chanda, Chairman of Kolkata Port Trust, told Business Line that the issue of providing job to the next of kin was locked inlitigation and pending with the Supreme Court.

On the second demand, the port authorities had requested the unions to identify problem areas and come up with concrete proposals. However, the assurance did not yield any result. Mr Lakshman Seth, the CPI(M) MP elected from the area, is away and no decision on withdrawal of the strike, it is learnt, can be taken in his absence.

Meanwhile, the Association of Shipping Interests in Calcutta — the body of ship-owners, shipping lines and shipping agents — has sought the help of the Union Shipping Ministry for an early end to the impasse.

The daily charter hire of some vessels, particularly bulk carriers and tankers, is very high and the detention of these vessels is entailing huge loss for the charterer. The agitating workers are even preventing shipping lines and their agents from opening their offices at Haldia.

More Stories on : Trade & Labour Unions | Shipping

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