Controversy keeps dogging ABG-LDA Bulk Handling Private Limited’s operations at Haldia Port. The private sector operator which previously complained of low cargo offerings and unviable working conditions is now the centre point of labour unrest, primarily at the leadership of the Trinamool Congress-affiliated union, following termination of 275 workers on September 24.

Excess labour

ABG previously alleged that trade unions forced the company to absorb 650 more labourers than required before commencing operations as part of a PPP project floated by the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) authorities.

As the operations are now found to be loss making, in the face of 40 per cent lower cargo than the estimated 9 million tonnes a year, the ABG-led special purpose vehicle (inclusive of KoPT interest), down-sized manpower on Monday.

Though the operator is allegedly still left with nearly double the workers than the optimal requirement of 350, the decision has not gone down well with the trade union bodies especially the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress (INTTUC) leadership who had already been up in arms against KoPT’s latest initiative to divert more cargo to the ABG-operated berths (2 and 8).

Higher efficiency

KoPT clearly had business interests in mind to offer more cargo to these mechanised berths running at much higher cost efficiency, when compared to other berths practically in the controls of local stevedores and multiple contractors having strong political backing.

The bottomline is clear though it serves KoPT as well as user interest to use ABG berths from the efficiency point of view, any diversion of cargo from relative inefficient berths harm vested interests.

The end result is vehement, if not violent, opposition from trade union lobbies brought operations to standstill at the ABG-operated berths since Saturday.

Threats

“We were forced to stop operations since Saturday evening as some unidentified people have been threatening us to do so. However, KoPT has blamed us for creating a law and order problem. We are now waiting for the situations to improve,” Gurpreet Malhi, chief executive officer of HBT, told Business Line . He would seek the State Government’s intervention into the matter.

A Chennai-based workers’ union is, however, apprehensive of the situation at Haldia dock complex ((HDC). “There are some vested interests functioning in and around (HDC) for sabotaging the entire cargo handling operations,” said T. Narendra Rao, general secretary of Water Transport Workers Federation of India.

ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in

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