The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Talks on new barges deadlocked

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Saturday, Sep 15, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Talks on new barges deadlocked

T. Madhusudana Rao

They were held at bidding of Chief Minister

High-level meeting discusses the issue
The task to be entrusted to a committee

Kakinada: The efforts of Minister for Ports M.V. Ramana Rao to arrive at a compromise on permitting construction of 12 more steel barges to the existing 88 barges operating in the anchorage port have proved futile and virtually ended in a deadlock with barge owners refused to get convinced over the stance of the government.

While there was unanimity on the need for increasing the tonnage capacity to cope up with the increased cargo traffic among port workers and barge owners, differences cropped up on the issue whether it should be done through modifying the existing barges or construction of new barges.

The high-level meeting convened by the Minister at the instance of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has finally decided to entrust the job of sorting out things to a committee consisting of port officials, representatives of barge owners and port workers.

B. Ramamurthy, president of the Steel Barge Owners’ Association, who just returned from Hyderabad after attending the crucial meeting, told The Hindu here on Friday that the Minister and Secretary of Ports failed to give a satisfactory answers on why they were insisting on withdrawal of cases pending in the court on permitting new barges, and also on assurance of right to handle traditional cargo besides the dispute on payment of Bar Channel Fee.

Bone of contention

The bone of contention of barge owners, he said, was that the existing barges capacity could be increased by suitably modifying from 380 tonnes to 500 tonnes thereby creating 10,500-tonne additional capacity.

It is more practical and economical when going for construction of 12 barges that creates hardly 6,000 tonnes capacity.

On the dispute over Bar channel fee of Rs.1 on each tonne levied on the erstwhile wooden cargo boats during 1980, Dr. Ramamurthy said it was redundant now as boats were replaced by barges and 90 per cent of the boat owners died and rest also not in the field, as after conversion into steel barges they were taken over by their sons and family members and not liable to pay the fee.

He said the barge owners were ready to pay the fee from now onwards but not with retrospective effect, provided the channel is regularly dredged and new jetties were constructed.

On the diversion of traditional cargo also, he said, they had their apprehensions in view of the past experience as already iron ore, cement, sugar and to some extent wheat cargoes were diverted from anchorage port on one plea or the other.

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