Kerala - Kochi   

Unions come out against move to relax Cabotage law

KOCHI: The Trade Union Coordination Committee, an umbrella organisation representing the interests of private sector workers in the port here, has reiterated its demand that the port of Kochi should not be sacrificed at the instance of vested interests seeking relaxation in Cabotage Law.

General convenor of the committee Charles George said here that recent reports of a comprehensive review of the Indian coastal shipping norms, including relaxation in Cabotage Law reserving coastal shipping to Indian flag vessels, sounded the death knell for Kochi Port.

Mr. George warned of protest action against the move to relax Cabotage law and to allow foreign flag vessels to carry cargo between Indian ports.

He alleged that the move to relax Cabotage law was being initiated at the instance of a private sector port operator and that the move would end the operations of Cochin Port Trust-owned Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal for good.

The coordination committee also claimed that life in West Kochi was now supported by the economic activities in the Port area and that any threat to port operations would be detrimental to West Kochi as well.

The coordination committee, said Mr. George, represented the interests of around 10,000 private sector workers.

He also claimed that even the WTO had not adopted a policy of open cargo movement internationally and that even the United States protected its domestic cargo movement.

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