Odisha’s Paradip Port on the Verge of Closure?
Odisha Cooperation and Excise Minister Damodar Rout today alleged that there has been a big conspiracy to curtail the business of Paradip port in Odisha.
He said the Central government has knowingly hatched a conspiracy to make Odisha’s Paradip port defunct.
Dr. Rout said the Port which bagged the Peacock award for handling the highest cargo traffic last year is now facing an alarming situation of reduced traffic handling.
Rout said: "After the Adani group had taken over the control of Dhamara port from L&T, a section of BJP leaders at the Centre were trying hard to take away all the business from Paradip port to the advantage of Dhamra port. The state's pride, Paradip port, which was set up on the initiative of Biju Patnaik, will shortly be closed down."
He said earlier there was a waiting period for ships from 9 to 12 days for berthing and around 20 vessels were waiting at the anchorage at Paradip Port but since last one month there is no waiting for ships at the anchorage and as many as six berths are lying vacant.
On the other hand ,the Vizag port and Dhamra port, recently taken over by the Adani group, and the Gangbharam port continues the operation with the waiting period of nine to 12 days.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited had bought Dhamra port in 2014 for around Rs 5,500 crore from a joint venture company of Tata Steel Limited and L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Limited.
"I have already apprised the chief minister about it. Now, I am trying to generate public opinion on the issue," Rout said.
He, however, made it clear that this was his individual opinion as an MLA and not as a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government.
