Kolkata, June 30: Cargo handling at Haldia port has nearly halved following an indefinite strike contract labourers have called since Saturday demanding an increased pay from handling agents.
The strike, which entered the fourth day Tuesday, has seen cargo handling come down to 53,865 tonnes from the normal quantity of 100,000 tonnes, said an official.
A source in the port said the Haldia dock system was losing Rs.10 million daily, while ships – 19 inside the port and 30 waiting at the Sandheads – were getting delayed, inconveniencing exporters and importers alike.
These contractors’ workers are not employees of the port, but handle the shore operations.
The source said the port management was thinking of invoking the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA), but there was no official confirmation.
Located approximately 50 km southwest of Kolkata near the mouth of the Hooghly river, Haldia port is one of the two dock systems of India’s only riverine port Kolkata. The other is the Kolkata Dock System.
The deep-water dock system at Haldia, close to the Bay of Bengal, is meant for sea-borne trade.
–Agencies