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Private cargo handler Haldia Bulk Terminals today retrenched all the 348 employees as it started to wind up operations at Haldia port.
In a statement, Gurpreet Malhi, CEO of HBT, promoted by ABG of India and LDA of France, said: “As a consequence of Kolkata Port’s repeated breaches of the contract and its failure to ensure a safe and conducive work environment, HBT was constrained to inform Kolkata Port on October 31 of its decision to immediately terminate its contract for operation in Haldia Dock Complex… HBT is left with no option but to retrench its 348 employees w.e.f. November 3, 2012.”
Letters have been dispatched to all the retrenched employees. “The retrenchment has been carried out in full compliance of the relevant laws and each employee’s bank account has been credited with the compensation they are entitled to under the provisions of the relevant law,” the statement added.
‘Creating a hype’
Meanwhile, Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Saturday stepped up its offensive against HBT.
At a press conference, Manish Jain, Chairman, KoPT, alleged that HBT had tried to create a situation which it can call it “force majeure” and “run away” from Haldia port.
Force majeure is referred as common clause in a contract that frees both parties from obligations in case of unforeseen eventualities.
“They want to run away by creating a hype so that they can escape paying penalties,” Jain said.
Breach of contract
“HBT committed breach of contract on more than one occasion and we overlooked them. It refused on-loading of (outbound) cargo... The company also changed its shareholding pattern between tendering process (2008) and award of contract (2010),” he said.
According to the Kolkata Port Trust, while participating in the tender ABG Infralogistics and ABG Kolkata Container Terminals were slated to hold 89 per cent and 11 per cent shares, respectively, in HBT.
In due course, ABG distributed its holding to three companies, ABG Infralogistics (26 per cent), ABG Kolkata Container Terminals (11 per cent) and ABG Bulk Handling Pvt Ltd (63 per cent).
According to Jain, the changes were not duly notified to Kolkata Port Trust.
ABG Bulk Handling later sold its stake to LDA of France.
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