Port chairmen committee exposes agents’ monopoly
- The Statesman
- 01 Aug 2014
at a time when CBI is probing into shore-handling operations scam
Biswabrata Goswami
biswabrata@thestatesman.net
Haldia, 31 July
At a time when the CBI is probing into the scam related to alleged irregularities in the shore-handling operations of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) which has caused an estimated loss of thousands of crores to the exchequer, the Port Chairmen Committee has exposed a clear monopoly of a few handling agents who enjoy major bids of cargo handling.
In the report of the Port Chairmen Committee constituted by the Ministry of Shipping in June, 2014, the KoPT has stated (Page-23 of the report ) that there were 146 handling agents at Haldia Port alone. It has also stated that only four companies have shared 98 per cent and 93 per cent of the total cargo handling operations at Kolkata port and Haldia port respectively. Hence it establishes the monopoly of a few players at the Haldia and the Kolkata ports.
Interestingly, in previously, the KoPT authorities and the former Union Shipping Minister had tabled different figures about the number of handling agents involved with the KoPT either before the court or before the government, to allegedly prevent the government from taking any action against the monopoly.
Mr Ashim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Secretary (I/C), KoPT, in the Affidavit-in-Opposition to the PIL No.24799 (W) of 2012 sworn before the Calcutta High Court on the 13th of February 2013, stated that there were 27 handling agents that were operating at both the Haldia and the Kolkata Ports.
In reply to Unstirred Question No 596 dated 8 August 2013 (Pages 13 & 14), Thiru G K Vasan, the former Union Minister of Shipping had stated on the floor of the Rajya Sabha that there were 25 handling agents at the Kolkata Dock System of KoPT and 15 handling agents at the Haldia Dock Complex of KoPT.
This time, the Port Chairmen Committee in response to the query of the Shipping ministry revealed that just few players are being awarded the major bids of the total cargo handling.
The Port Chairmen Committee has already endorsed KoPT’s action on fixation of ceiling rates for the cargo handlers.
According to reports, Ripley & Company and its sister concerns owned by the Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha member Srinjoy Bose and his father Swapan Sadhan (Tutu) Bose, a former MP, have duped the government of an estimated Rs 24,500 crore over the past 35 years.
The scam pertaining to shore handling of cargo has allegedly took place with the help of muscle men and under the nose of the top port authorities, sources said. They said these companies have been realising an
estimated Rs 500-Rs 700 crore per year from the exporters and importers without
paying a farthing to the Kolkata Port Trust, the parent body of the Haldia Dock Complex.
“I have been consistently vouching for regulation of monopolies in cargo handling at the Major Ports
of India well within the framework on MPT Act,1963 (Sections 42(1), 42(4) and 48) and Regulation 7 of TAMP Guidelines 2005 with a view to make the Major Ports cost competitive with
respect to Non-Major Ports (where the cost of cargo handling is much lower compared to Major Ports). In 2006-07, the market share of Major Ports in total traffic was 71.49 per cent. This has come down to 57 per cent during 2013-14,” a senior port official said.
Biswabrata Goswami
biswabrata@thestatesman.net
Haldia, 31 July
At a time when the CBI is probing into the scam related to alleged irregularities in the shore-handling operations of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) which has caused an estimated loss of thousands of crores to the exchequer, the Port Chairmen Committee has exposed a clear monopoly of a few handling agents who enjoy major bids of cargo handling.
In the report of the Port Chairmen Committee constituted by the Ministry of Shipping in June, 2014, the KoPT has stated (Page-23 of the report ) that there were 146 handling agents at Haldia Port alone. It has also stated that only four companies have shared 98 per cent and 93 per cent of the total cargo handling operations at Kolkata port and Haldia port respectively. Hence it establishes the monopoly of a few players at the Haldia and the Kolkata ports.
Interestingly, in previously, the KoPT authorities and the former Union Shipping Minister had tabled different figures about the number of handling agents involved with the KoPT either before the court or before the government, to allegedly prevent the government from taking any action against the monopoly.
Mr Ashim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Secretary (I/C), KoPT, in the Affidavit-in-Opposition to the PIL No.24799 (W) of 2012 sworn before the Calcutta High Court on the 13th of February 2013, stated that there were 27 handling agents that were operating at both the Haldia and the Kolkata Ports.
In reply to Unstirred Question No 596 dated 8 August 2013 (Pages 13 & 14), Thiru G K Vasan, the former Union Minister of Shipping had stated on the floor of the Rajya Sabha that there were 25 handling agents at the Kolkata Dock System of KoPT and 15 handling agents at the Haldia Dock Complex of KoPT.
This time, the Port Chairmen Committee in response to the query of the Shipping ministry revealed that just few players are being awarded the major bids of the total cargo handling.
The Port Chairmen Committee has already endorsed KoPT’s action on fixation of ceiling rates for the cargo handlers.
According to reports, Ripley & Company and its sister concerns owned by the Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha member Srinjoy Bose and his father Swapan Sadhan (Tutu) Bose, a former MP, have duped the government of an estimated Rs 24,500 crore over the past 35 years.
The scam pertaining to shore handling of cargo has allegedly took place with the help of muscle men and under the nose of the top port authorities, sources said. They said these companies have been realising an
estimated Rs 500-Rs 700 crore per year from the exporters and importers without
paying a farthing to the Kolkata Port Trust, the parent body of the Haldia Dock Complex.
“I have been consistently vouching for regulation of monopolies in cargo handling at the Major Ports
of India well within the framework on MPT Act,1963 (Sections 42(1), 42(4) and 48) and Regulation 7 of TAMP Guidelines 2005 with a view to make the Major Ports cost competitive with
respect to Non-Major Ports (where the cost of cargo handling is much lower compared to Major Ports). In 2006-07, the market share of Major Ports in total traffic was 71.49 per cent. This has come down to 57 per cent during 2013-14,” a senior port official said.
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