With Orissa protesting over the arbitrary extension of limits of the Kolkata Port and raising concerns over its impact on the seven upcoming minor ports along the northern coast of the state, the Union minister for shipping G K Vasan has assured to take remedial action to ensure that port development in Orissa does not suffer.
The assurance was given by the minister during his meeting on Wednesday with Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi.
Apprising the Union minister of the extension of port limits of the Kolkata port through a notification dated October 22, 2010, Patnaik called for the immediate withdrawal of the notification, terming it as arbitrary.
He also stated that the notification would jeopardize Orissa's efforts to develop the maritime sector and seriously impact the state's industrial and economic growth.
On January 20 this year, the Orissa government had shot off a strong letter to the Centre on the issue of extension of limits of the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT).
The revised limits of KoPT extends more than 200 km south of Haldia into the Bay of Bengal covering an area of 28646 sq km. Blocking the entire coast of North Orissa where seven ports are being developed. The revised limits effectively block the access to Dhamara port which is already developed and the access to all future ports north of Dhamara including Chudamani, Chandipur, Inchudi, Subarnarekha mouth, Bichitrapur and Bahabalpur.
It may be noted that the Orissa government has already signed MoU and concession agreement for the ports proposed at Chudamani and Subarnarekha mouth respectively.
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The notification by overtly extending the limits of KoPT effectively forecloses the future expansion and development of Dhamara and other ports of North Orissa planned and under progress.
Even the borrow area for sand required for reclamation of such ports which are a few km away would now fall in the limits of KoPT.
The Orissa government has pointed out it has not been consulted before the issue of such a notification.
The state government has stated that the unilateral action of KoPT is violative of the federal structure of the country and may lead to avoidable bitterness between the governments of Orissa and West Bengal.
It has further argued that the revised notification militates against the very spirit of the Maritime Development Policy which seeks to promote development of new ports on the PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode.
Terming the notification as highly partisan and irrational, the state government has stated that it forecloses the orderly development of modern deep ports along the coast of the country.