The All India Port and Dock Workers Federation has demanded a high level enquiry into the allegation that bureaucratic vested interests are working against the growth of major ports.
Expressing serious concern over the issue, the Federation has in a letter urged Union Shipping Minister Mr G K Vasan to take urgent remedial measures to save major ports from collapse and save the labour force working in these ports.
Mr P.M.Mohammed Haneef, General Secretary of the Federation pointed out that the cargo throughput of major ports which was 344.80 million tonnes in 2003-04 rose only marginal to touch 560.2 tonnes in 2011-12 registering a growth of only 62.47 per cent over a period of eight years.
However, the throughput of the non major ports in the private sector grown from 118.86 million tones in 2003-04 to 370 million tonnes in 2011-12 registering a growth of about 211.29 per cent.
The major ports and non major ports in the private sector are competing in a scenario where there is no level playing field, the letter pointes out.
He said that major ports do not have freedom to fix the tariff of port services which is a crucial factor to attract business whereas, the non major ports are not within the ambit of TAMP and have the freedom to fix the tariff at competitive/ lower levels to attract cargo from the major ports.