Orissa to hold talks with developers on KoPT limits extension

The Orissa government will hold talks with the developers of three minor ports- Dhamara, Chudamani and Subarnarekha on Thursday on the crucial issue of the impact of the unilateral extension of Kolkata Port Trust's (KoPT) limits on these minor ports.

The state government is holding this meeting with the port developers to seek their views on the extension of KoPT's limits ahead of the meeting convened by the Union ministry of shipping on the matter on June 2.

"We are going to have a strategic meeting on the issue of impact of the extension of KoPT's limits on the minor ports coming up along the coastline of Orissa. The extension of KoPT's limits is bound to impact the development of at least six minor ports in the state. We have called the developers of Dhamara, Chudamani and Subarnarekha who will be presenting their views during the meeting on Thursday”, a top official source told Business Standard.

While Dhamara port was being developed by a special purpose vehicle called Dhamara Ports Company Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and L&T, the port at Chudamani in Bhadrak district was proposed to be developed by Essel Mining & Industries Ltd.

It may be noted that the Orissa High Court had recently asked the KoPT authorities not to act in haste in connection with the issue of extension of port limits.

A two-member bench of the High Court (HC) consisting of Chief Justice V Gopal Gouda and Justice B M Mahapatra had begun preliminary hearing on the matter. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 21.