Haldia impasse: Police beef up security

29 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
HALDIA, 29 OCT: An uneasy calm prevails in Haldia as the Haldia Bulk Terminal Services (HBTS), a joint venture of ABG-LDA, failed to resume its operations at the two mechanised berths II and VIII today.
Though the Haldia police have beefed up vigil and set up temporary police camp in front of the gates of Haldia Dock Complex, no criminal has been arrested even after 40 hours of the alleged abduction of three officers.
Attempts are on to identify the culprits, superintendent of police, East Midnapore, Mr Sukesh Jain, said even as a probe whether the criminals were hired from outside is being conducted.
Workers backed by the Indian Trinamul Trade Union Congress (Inttuc), who had been agitating in front of HDC gates for the past few days, lifted their stir today to avoid arrest. The HBTS workers were prevented from joining work as the agitators put up blockades and threatened them with dire consequences.
The law and order situation worsened yesterday after three of its officers were allegedly kidnapped and forced to leave Haldia at gunpoint by a group of criminals.
“The incident has created confusion among industry professionals who are thinking whether Haldia is safe for trade," said an industrialist who is attached to Haldia port.
“We’re heading for a situation where the withdrawal of Haldia’s operations appears to be a distinct possibility though no decision has yet been taken,” an officer of HBTS said.
In a release, Mr Gurpreet Malhi, CEO, HBTS, said: “HBTS has no doubt that the date for this abduction has been carefully thought out as it took place barely hours before HBTS was to resume its operations at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). It is quite disgusting to understand that some vested interests are continuing to thwart the legitimate efforts of HBTS to resume operations at HDC. It is apparent that these vested interests do not want HBTS’s operations to resume even though the resumption is in the interest of the state, industry, trade, KoPT and Haldia.”
“We wished to resume our operations in Haldia at the earliest, especially after we made the requisite advance payment for police protection. However, yesterday’s events have shocked us. We are deeply concerned over the safety and well-being of our employees and hence are evaluating and deliberating on the options available,” said Mr Malhi.
As a result of the ongoing deadlock, port operations at Haldia are getting affected and crores of rupees are being lost by way of shutdown of cargo handling at berths II and VIII. “It is crucial for KoPT that HBTS remains at HDC as it earns Rs 150 per ton as royalty for the 40,000 ton that is handled at these two berths. The royalty per ton for the other berths is a mere Rs 25,” a port officer said.
Port officials said as the recent stand-off is continuing to affect trade, the port is losing Rs 80 lakh per day owing to the shutdown of two mechanised berths. Besides, many shipping companies are now diverting their vessels to nearby ports thereby leading to further losses of the Haldia port.

Cong, CPM criticises CM’s handling of Haldia

KOLKATA, 29 OCT: The state Congress and the CPI-M today criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's way of handling the impasse at the Haldia port. The Congress said the state government was maintaining a “mysterious” silence on the snowballing crisis for which, it feared, the state will get a bad name if it continues.  Former minister and Congress MLA Manas Bhuniya said: “I don't agree with the chief minister's claim that the situation is normal in Haldia. The state government should have convened a meeting with all the parties as soon as 275 workers were retrenched at the port.”
Demanding an inquiry, the former minister said he had already written to Union minister for shipping, Mr G K Vasan and would soon meet him in Delhi.   Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and CPI-M Politburo member Surjya Kanta Mishra said: “We were apprehensive about a disastrous outcome in Haldia Docks for sometime now and knew this ongoing high-handedness of the Trinamul Congress in Haldia would eventually disrupt the dock's working completely. This strange state government has so far done nothing to resolve the crisis. And some Trinamul goons, while covering their faces, are trying to shut down businesses in the state. The state as well as the district administration is completely silent on such a situations. The incident and its related developments will send a negative message to not only industry houses, but to the society.” sns

Three HBTS officials forced to leave Haldia at gunpoint

28 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
HALDIA, 28 OCT: While the crisis in Haldia port continues unabated, law and order situation worsened today as three senior officers of the Haldia Bulk Terminus Services (HBTS) were allegedly kidnapped and forced to leave Haldia in the early hours today.
Mr Gurpreet Malhi, CEO, HBTS, alleged, “Capt Manpreet Jolly, Mr Jagadish Behara and Mr Bushan Patil (including his wife and 1 yr old daughter) were abducted at around 1 am. Our managers made numerous calls to the police begging for protection. The required help never came despite that about two hours elapsed between first call and the moment abducted people were driven away from the apartment.”
 Mr Malhi, however, said “We have now received reports that our abducted employees are in Kolkata at a safe location.”
 Mr Malhi said, “HBTS is shocked at the complete breakdown of law and order at Haldia. This situation is even more shocking that while criminals were trying to force entry in their apartment, HBT’s managers made numerous calls to the Police begging for protection.”
 A complaint has been lodged with the district police soon after the incident, but none of the criminals has been arrested till late tonight.
 Superintendent of police, Mr Sukesh Jain said, “I have received a complaint and we have already initiated a case. Investigation is going on, but no one has been arrested yet”.
 According to the complaint lodged with the police, a group of 50 armed unidentified criminals barged into their residences in Haldia at around 1 am and manhandled them. The criminals threatened them with dire consequences and forced them to flee from Haldia at gun point. “They were threatened and advised that should they ever set foot in Haldia again, they will face dire consequences”, the complaint reads.
 In a Press release, Mr Malhi said, “HBTS has no doubt that the date for this abduction has been carefully thought about as it took place barely hours before HBTS was to resume its operations at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). It is quite disgusting to understand that some vested interests are continuing to thwart the legitimate efforts of HBTS to resume operations at HDC. It is apparent that these vested interests do not want HBTS’s operations to resume even though the resumption is in the interest of State of West Bengal, the industry, the trade, KoPT and Haldia itself.”
 The incident occurred at a time when HBTS, a joint venture of ABG-LDA deposited Rs 17, 45, 730 to cover the cost of police deployment at the two mechanized berths 2 and 8 where they were empowered to work handling operations. As the law and order situation was not improved, HBTS could not resume its operation for the past one month leading huge loses to both the port and trade.
  “In its order of 19 October, the Calcutta High Court directed the state government to provide HBTS with a safe environment to operate. But this morning’s incident illustrates that Haldia police and State administration is not ready to guarantee safety to HBTS as a company,” Mr Malhi said.

HBTS deposits `17 lakh for security

26 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
HALDIA, 26 OCT: Haldia Bulk Terminal Services (HBTS) today deposited Rs 17,45,730 with district police to cover the cost of police deployment for 10 days at berths 2 and 8 of Haldia Dock Complex (HDC).
In response to an HBTS writ petition, Mr Justice Dipankar Dutta of Calcutta High Court on 19 October had directed police to protect the berths and HBTS to cover the cost.
The court had also directed the district magistrate and superintendent of police of East Midnapore to ensure security so that no untoward incidents occur at these two berths.
HBTS had filed the writ petition to restore law and order at HDC after workers in Haldia kept them from resuming operations at the dock complex, alleging that Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) was giving preference to HBTS by diverting cargo to its berths.
The crisis at Haldia port erupted about a month ago when HBTS threatened to suspend operations at berths 2 and 8 because they were losing money. HBTS is the only agency in the Haldia port that handles bulk cargo mechanically. It pays a higher rate of royalty to the KoPT.
KoPT moved the High Court and on 12 September, signed an agreement with HBTS agreeing to allocate vessels to HBTS's berths on a priority basis. Workers at the port’s manually operated berths, however, objected to this and blocked the move.  They also allegedly attacked HBTS workers and prevented them from continuing their work, leading to the deterioration of law and order in the Haldia dock complex. Hence the need for police to provide security.
A port official, however, said: “It is the first time in West Bengal that a private operator is bearing cost of police deployment to ensure security of his own labourers and officers. Law and order is the state’s matter while in case of Haldia port issue, the state government is reluctant to provide security to a private operator free of cost."
Meanwhile, HBTS is yet to resume operations at berths 2 and 8 as hundreds of workers owing allegiance to Trinamul Congress trade union Inttuc launched a sit-in-demonstration in front of the HDC's gates today. The agitators demanded that all 275 retrenched workers be absorbed by HBTS immediately before it resumes its operations at the two mechanised berths.
HBTS CEO Gurpreet Malhi said: “Over the past two years, HBTS has made numerous requests to KoPT in vain for them to improve the situation. KoPT’s failure has left HBTS with no option but to retrench 275 employees. This decision was taken with the sole goal to keep the company afloat and to safeguard the employment of the remaining 350 employees.”
District Congress President Asit Paul has held KoPT Chairman Manish Jain responsible for failing to handle the situation properly. "I have written a complaint to the Central minister over this matter, asking him to take immediate steps so that normalcy is restored in Haldia port," he said

Clothing life anew...

18 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 18 OCT: With Durga puja barely days away, Puja shopping has reached a feverish pitch. In fact, a large number of people have completed their shopping, but those who have not, are busy with their last-minute marketing.
A visit to several shopping complexes in Midnapore and Kharagpur revealed that price rise is no bar to puja shoppers. Though many shop owners are unhappy over poor sales compared to last year, a few high-end garment shop owners have said that their sales have actually soared by 20 per cent compared to last year.
Rising gold prices have brought about a big change in the shopping habit of West Midnapore residents this festive season. “With the price of gold increasing significantly, people are refraining from buying their favourite gold ornaments this year. The sale has not even reached 50 per cent of what it was before Durga Puja last year,” said Bijay Kumar Guin, a town-based jeweller.
“Imitation and costume jewellery are the in thing. People from far-flung areas who come for shopping in towns prefer to buy imitation. They bought chunky neckpieces to trendy bangles which were beautiful and affordable,” said another jeweller.
Shops and marts at Barabazar in Midnapore and Goalbazar in Kharagpur have plenty to offer to keep their customers happy. The latest craze to sweep the towns is branded clothes.
“I'm least bit bothered if my pair of jeans is local or branded; I'm happy that I bought two new pairs of jeans without spending much,” said Puja Bhattacherjee, an undergraduate student of Midnapore College.
“I love to shop till I drop during festivals... my mother lets me spend without nagging,” said Ruchi Sen, a Class XI student. Kaveri Dutta echoed the same.
She said her family’s expenses on buying dresses exceeded Rs 15,000 this Puja, which is almost double the amount they had spent the previous year.
The demand for typical Gujarati dress like ghagra-choli and Bol Bacchan were high among youth.
No wonder branded garment shops in the town are doing a brisk business this festive season. The manager of a branded garments store in Midnapore said, “This year, many people preferred to buy branded garments and we have a booming business without any Puja sale or discounts.”
He said various designs of suits like umbrella, anarkali and frock suits remained the favourite among girls and women even though they had to shell out more than Rs 4,000 per piece.
Several small garment shop owners who netted handsome profit last year, however, are a disappointed lot. “We depend on the rural people who come to our shops to buy garments. But, this year, barely 20 per cent rural people have visited our shops. They did not turn up this season because of rise in prices of essential commodities," said Mr Manoj Pramanik, a garment shop owner at LIC More in Midnapore town.

Cargo handlers at Haldia port ‘unlicenced’

15 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
HALDIA, 15 OCT: The private agencies in charge of shore handling operations at the Haldia Dock Complex's (HDC's) non-mechanised berths don't have valid handling licences. 
When they moved Calcutta High Court to stop KoPT from allotting more vessels and cargo to HDC's berths 2 and 8, the court rejected their writ petition, finding no legal strength in the handling licences issued to them by KoPT at Haldia, a port official said.
The crisis at Haldia port erupted about a month ago when Haldia Bulk Terminals (HBT) threatened to suspend operations at berths 2 and 8 because they were losing money.
KoPT moved the High Court and, on 12 September, signed an agreement with HBT agreeing to allocate vessels to HBT's berths on a priority basis. Workers at the port’s manually handled berths, however, objected to this and blocked the move.
"Now the question uppermost in the minds of all is how the KoPT authority could issue handling licences to the private handling agents to earn around Rs 200 crore per annum from shore handling operations at HDC when there is no provision in any bylaw or regulation of KoPT for issuance of any such license by the KoPT authority,” a senior port officer said. 
Haldia Dock Officers’ Forum Secretary Ramakant Burman said: "The private handling agents are working and making crores of rupees from HDC only with the blessings of the KoPT authority without there being any legal strength of such handling licences issued to them. If this is true, then there has been a scam of Rs 7,000 crore during the last 35 years at Haldia Dock Complex.
"This should be thoroughly investigated into by the CBI and a suitable mechanism should be immediately devised to bring such shore handling operations under the ambit of the KoPT under the relevant sections the of Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 and the Traffic Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) Guidelines, 2005 with the approval of the central government," he said.
In the bylaws of the KoPT, there is a provision for issuance of stevedoring licences, whereby stevedores will work onboard the ships. But the concept of stevedores exists only at the Kolkata Dock System of KoPT and not at Haldia Dock Complex. 
“At HDC, all onboard operations (onboard stevedoring) is done by the port itself as there is no provision for the existence of stevedores at HDC. So how are the private handling agents working at HDC without any contract or revenue-sharing with KoPT for the last 35 years just on the strength of a document issued by KoPT which is not supported by any Act/bylaw/regulation of KoPT?” Mr Burman asked.
HDC Shipping Manager Damodar Nayek said" "I will not make any comment on this court matter, but I will say that every handler has licences and based on these licenses they work inside the port". 

KoPT ‘illegally allows’ barges to unload coal

HALDIA, 15 OCT: As the crisis at Haldia port continues unabated, Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has been accused of illegally allowing three I-V category barges to go to Sandheads to unload cargos from a ship anchored nearby today.
A senior port officer said: “All I-V class barges can go only up to Sagar, but they have gone to Sandheads without necessary certificates from DG of Shipping. This is highly illegal.”
A ship carrying 75,000 MT thermal coal from Indonesia has arrived near Sandheads and three I-V category barges were allowed to go there to unload the cargos into their barges. The National Thermal Power Corporation has imported the coal for its Farakka and Kahalgaon plants, the port officer said. sns

HDC to mechanise berths despite financial risks

14 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
HALDIA, 14 OCT: At a time when the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has failed to resolve the crisis at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC), it has deliberately taken up plans to mechanise all the berths by placing Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHCs) which will put the port in huge financial losses.
If things go according to plan, the KoPT will lose to the tune of Rs 320 crore in 10 years for the mechanisation of berth 4B at HDC. If mechanisation takes place at all the remaining six berths only with mobile harbour cranes as proposed and approved in the board of trustee meeting held on 12 August, KoPT will stand to lose around Rs 1920 crore during the contract period of 10 years. This apart, around 1,200 port employees who are engaged in onboard operations at HDC will also lose their jobs.
The process to mechanise berth 4B had already been initiated by the management with two MHCs from Haldia Bulk Terminals (HBT), an ABJ-LDA joint venture which was empowered to operate handling operation at berths 2 and 8. The process had to be put on the back-burner due to the crisis that developed over the dispute of cargo sharing among the private handlers.
The KoPT was forced to call meetings with all the stakeholders, but the situation has not improved.
The port authorities in the meantime have formed a three-member committee to resolve the dispute, but the committee has recently given a deadline to the HBT to decide whether it wants to continue its operations at berths 2 and 8.
“If the company fails to comment on the recommendations of the three-member committee or resume work at the two berths by 19 October, the port may take steps to terminate its contract,” a port officer said.
Criticising the port’s actions, Haldia Dock Officers’ Forum said: “The ABG Model being the most profitable for HDC/KoPT, the same should be replicated while mechanising other berths here. For example, while mechanising berth 4B, the ABG model should be followed for maximum realisation to port.”
Mr Ramakant Burman, secretary of Haldia Dock Officers’ Forum said: “In whose interest is KoPT doing this mechanisation? As a result of this, more than 1,000 port workers who work onboard the vessel will permanently lose their job. Neither the port will earn anything from it.”
He also said: “Trade saves Rs 20 lakh per day for handling of their vessel at berths 2 and 8 and the port earns on an average Rs 35 lakh per vessel for the cargo handled at these two berths. There is also no drainage of foreign exchange in terms of demurrage on the vessels for working for four days at the non-merchanised berths of HDC.”

Tribals dance for peace

12 October 2012

biswabrata goswami
JHARGRAM, 12 OCT: While the whole state is gearing up to welcome the goddess, the tribals in Junglemahal of West Midnapore, which was infamous for Maoist violence even a year ago, are preparing to worship the deity in their own special way for peace.
This year, the tribal people from different regions will celebrate a five-day long festival in honour of Goddess Durga. “We will perform our traditional dances during these days with a prayer to our gods and goddesses so that peace in our forest land is restored forever,” said Mr Jayram Tudu, a local farmer in Kantapahari. 
Another farmer, Mr Sukhu Tudu, said; “For the past few years, we have lived under the Maoist threat and have witnessed much bloodshed here. We want peace.”
The tribals will perform the Bhuyang dance, a blend of indigenous Aryan features, characterised by the rhythmic tapping of feet to the accompaniment of traditional instruments such as versions of cymbals, gongs and flutes. The main instrument is the bhuyang, a stringed instrument made from a dried gourd, with intricate bamboo fixtures and supports that help it produce the basic tunes for the dance.  Vijaya-Dasami is an auspicious day for the Bhuyang-dance. Male artists wearing dhuties ~ napkins around waist ~ red tape in their unpolished hair, and feathers of peacock upon their heads, will dance from afternoon to night.
“During the festival, the tribals will not cut down trees. On this auspicious day, girls will fast, wishing a long lives for their brothers. If everyone celebrates this festival, we can have peace and harmony in society,” said Smriti Dutta, a social worker.
According to local residents, the tribals will perform the dance to worship the deity as a symbol of Shakti and welcome her as the vanquisher of all evils. The dance is also a means of getting her blessings for peace and prosperity.
Mr Sakti Patnayek, a dance teacher at a school said: “The musical mosaic of Junglemahal is incomplete without the vibrating notes of stringed instruments.
“The booming notes of the Bhuyang have a streamlining effect on the tunes, beats and tempos of the songs being sung. According to legends, they perform this typical dance to search for a girl named Durge who was kidnapped by attackers. This year, they will not only perform the dance for Durge, but for peace in their locality,” he said.