DPCL, Orissa govt seek legal option on extension of Kolkata port limits

Even though the Union shipping minister has assured remedial action on the issue of arbitrary extension of limits of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), both the Orissa government and Dhamara Port Company Ltd (DPCL), the special purpose vehicle setting up the Dhamara port, are weighing legal options on the issue.

"The notification extending the limits of the Kolkata port will impact the upcoming ports in North Orissa including the Dhamara port and we have demanded the withdrawal of this notification. The extension of limits of the Kolkata port will impact the economic viability and exclusivity of the Dhamara port as the vessels coming to Dhamara will pass through the Kolkata port. We have already started seeking legal opinion on the issue”, Santosh K Mohapatra, chief executive officer, DPCL told reporters after a high-level meeting on the issue convened by the state Chief Secretary B K Patnaik.

Meanwhile, the state government has sought the advice of the state Advocate General on the issue.

"We are now looking forward to the meeting called by the Union shipping minister G K Vasan on the matter on February 14. If the Centre fails to take any concrete action, we will be forced to move the court on the issue”, an official source told Business Standard.

On January 20 this year, the Orissa government had shot off a strong letter to the Centre opposing the arbitrary extension of limits of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT).

The revised limits of KoPT extend more than 200 km south of Haldia into the Bay of Bengal covering an area of 28646 sq km. This would effectively block the access to Dhamara port which is currently in commissioning phase and the access to all future ports north of Dhamara including Chudamani, Chandipur, Inchudi, Subarnarekha mouth, Bichitrapur and Bahabalpur. It may be noted that the Orissa government has already signed MoU and concession agreement for the ports proposed at Chudamani and Subarnarekha mouth respectively. Even the borrow area of sand required for reclamation of land for these ports would now fall in the limits of KoPT.