The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Monday proposed a slew of solutions to resolve the impasse over cargo handling at the Haldia Dock Complex (HDC).
Operations at the port were disrupted due to a stalemate over offering more cargo to the mechanised berths operated by Haldia Bulk Terminals (HBT), a joint venture between KoPT and ABG-LDA. HBT’s decision to terminate 275 workers to reduce losses was also meted with agitations at Haldia.
A three-member committee, appointed by KoPT last week following a meeting with the cargo handlers and other stakeholders, recommended reinstatement of the sacked workers and framing of a dedicated policy to ensure proportionate distribution of cargos among berths operated by HBT (2 & 8) and Ripley and Co (4B).
In a statement, the committee said: “HBT will consider reinstating the 275 retrenched employees as the other stake holders are firm in the opinion that no exit from the present imbroglio is possible without reinstatement of the above retrenched employees.”
The committee also stated that two stand-by multi-harbour cranes might be shifted to Ripley operated berth in order to improve the utilisation percentage of the equipment.
While HBT is told to ensure uninterrupted cargo operation at 2 and 8 berths in absence of the standby cranes, the private operator may be allowed to carry out marketing activities to increase cargo flow.
ayan.pramanik
@thehindu.co.in