Kerala - Kochi   

Workers asked to join drive to clean up port's operations

Staff Reporter

Diversion of cargo vessels from the port owing to higher cost alleged

KOCHI: Workers at the Kochi port have been urged to join the drive to "clean up" the operations of the Port and to unite to fight practices that had brought disrepute to the Port and driven away cargo from here.

The appeal comes in the wake of reports that several cargo vessels were diverted from Kochi considering the higher cost of cargo operations at the Port.

It has been reported that the higher costs had resulted from practices of illegal collection of money from the Port's customers by lobbies that were inimical to the growth of the port. C.M. Chandrabose, general secretary of Cochin Port Employees' Organisation (CPEO), affiliated to Water Transport Workers' Organisation of India, CITU, reminded the Port workers that they were partners in the running of the Port and called on them to openly oppose practices that were detrimental to its future growth. If the "lawlessness" ended, more cargo would come into the Port, said Mr. Bose in a written appeal to the workers. Only if more cargo vessels called at the Port would the income of the Port increase, he added.

It has been alleged in the appeal that a Port administrative system operated in Kochi parallel to the official machinery. Recent news reports had uncovered the ugly face of these operations, Mr. Chandrabose said.

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