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CPT steps to give greater autonomy to Haldia dock

Our Bureau

CALCUTTA, Dec. 14

THE Calcutta Port Trust (CPT) has initiated steps to execute the Central order of September 28 delegating greater operational autonomy to the Haldia dock authorities.

The order has already sparked off a good deal of controversy as it is being interpreted by many as a move to delink Haldia dock from the CPT so much so that even the Board of Trustees of CPT has adopted a resolution urging the Union Government to desist from the`delinking'move.

One component of the order relates to the shifting of laboratories of the hydraulic study department (HSD) and dredging and river survey wing of Marine Department to Haldia from Calcutta.

The CPT, therefore, has asked its Chief Hydraulic Engineer (CHE) to prepare a blueprint for such shifting and indicate the requirement of the floor space for both offices and laboratories, requirement of staff quarters along with details of employees to be transferred.

HSD was set up in 1962 in the wake of the construction of Farakka Barrage. The laboratory primarily consists of the Model Centre on about 13 acres of land. The department is also supposed to monitor the water flow along the 580-km stretch of the Hooghly river from Farakka to the Sandheads. Hydraulic observations are carried out regularly through surveys with various sophisticated aids.

Data so collected are analysed to predict the riverine behaviour and morphological changes. It is also supposed to plan river regulatory and dredging measures for the dock systems at Calcutta and Haldia.

The issue of delinking HSD first came up for a review in 1994 but was not favoured on the ground that the river monitoring of the entire stretch being basically under the control of one department there should not be splitting of the department into two.

The recent CPT resolution opposing `delinking' pointed out that while the Gopalan Committee had recommended shifting of offices and laboratories of HSD from Calcutta to Haldia, the Government order was for the shifting of the laboratories only.

Nevertheless, the CPT has worked out the procedure and means to execute the Government order.

It has been decided to work out a suitable package for compensating the employees who will be required to leave their families in Calcutta on being transferred to Haldia. Initially the transferred staff will continue to be under the payroll of the Calcut ta establishment but on their retirement the posts will go over to HDC and the new recruitment will be by the Haldia establishment.

The issues relating to grant of TA/DA/HRA to such transferred employees will also feature in the detailed plan of phased transfer of HSD to Haldia ensuring that employees are not adversely placed.

The disbursement of salaries of transferred staff from Haldia will be considered to ensure smooth functioning of the department. Even after the transfer, promotional opportunities of Haldia and Calcutta cadre staff should be protected.

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Marine Department (DMD) has been advised to prepare a similar plan in respect of marine department. According to the Government order, the dredger and river survey wings of the Marine Department would have to be shifted to H aldia. Surveys in upper reaches, however, would continue as usual.