Kandla Port, dock labour board merger gets nod

The board of Kandla Dock Labour Board (KDLB) has approved the proposed merger of KDLB with the Kandla Port Trust (KPT). With this, Kandla Port will become the fifth port in the country, wherein the labour board has been merged with the port authorities.

Speaking to Business Standard, Manohar Belani, general secretary, Transport & Dock Workers Union, said, "As per the Parliament Bill passed since 1997, our efforts were progressive to merge KDLB with KPT as the Bill cited and emphasised on having one single cargo implication agency."

KDLB forwarded the final memorandum to KPT after approving it at its board meeting on September 29, said Belani.

KPT too has given its nod to the proposed merger. A Janardhana Rao, chairman of KPT, said, "At the board meeting held on October 14, 2006, the KPT Board approved the proposed memorandum of settlement for the merger with KDLB."

At present, there are 100 employees and 900 workers in KDLB. Post merger, all the employees would work under the signal department of KPT.

Earlier, the dock labour boards at Kochi, Mumbai, Chennai and Mormugao were merged with the respective major port trusts, added Rao.

He said the merger would ensure greater regularity in employment, higher labour productivity, quicker turnaround of vessels, cost-effectiveness in cargo handling and effective control on different agencies functioning at the port.

Post merger, the entity of Kandla Dock Labour Board would be amalgamated with the traffic department of KPT.