Work at Paradip Port disrupted due to strike

Operations at Paradip Port in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district were disrupted today due to a strike by several organisations alleging large-scale irregularities in cargo handling operations.
Members of around ten outfits including Stevedores' Association, Dumper Owners' Association and Drivers and Helpers Association took out a rally upto the office of the additional district magistrate (ADM) here holding placards and submitted a memorandum.
In their memorandum, the stakeholders protested against a particular private shipping and logistics company being allowed to do stevedoring work at the port.
Describing the agitation as a fight for their survival, a leader of Steverors' Association said they have launched the peaceful stir in their bid to get justice.

The agitation by the stakeholders would be intensified if demands were not met, he said.
Ahead of the strike, the port management had in a statement yesterday warned any person or agency trying to create disturbance in the port premises would be dealt with severely, which includes revocation of license/permission to operate.

It said in the press note that the port management would give necessary support and protection to any service provider, who wants to use the port facilities for cargo handling as per the port rules.
In order to sustain growth, Paradip Port was creating a level playing field for all port customers to do business with ease so that the business community would benefit out of the competitive prices for their cargo handling, it said.

However, a section of Port Stevedores, under the banner of 'Paradip Port Stevedores Association' and the 'Dumper Owners' Association' have created a monopoly situation at the port for a long time now and was bent on frustrating free market economy to prevail at Paradip Port now, the PPT management had said in the press note.