NMPT: Another jetty facing privatization

Mangaluru: The 14^th jetty at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) will soon undergo privatization and thousands of local stevedores and labourers fear they might lose their jobs due to this.

The 14^th jetty at NMPT is the deepest and most important jetty of NMPT, will be handed over to JSW company in a few days and the talks in this connection have reached final stages. If the deal gets through, all the maintenance work at the 14^th jetty will soon become mechanized.

MLA Khader opposes the move

Expressing objection to the reckless privatization of PSUs, MLA U T Khader said, “the union government has decided to privatize NMPT. After merging the banks born in the district, and privatizing the airport here, the government’s move to privatize NMPT now is objectionable.”

However, the MP Nalin Kumar claims that this it’s not the privatization of NMPT. “Only the maintenance of the jetty has been given to the private institution. Through this, the facilities will improve,” he claimed.

The 16^th jetty at NMPT was prepared for the mechanized management of coal at the cost of Rs 469.46 crore and handed over to Chettinad Mangaluru Coal Ltd. Because of this, hundreds of local labourers, who previously used to load and unload the goods at the jetty, lost their livelihoods. Amidst such a situation, the new move of privatizing the 14^th jetty as well has only increased the fear of job loss among the hardworking labourers here.

The jetties at NMPT are getting mechanized through public-private partnership with the aim to have a clean port with are more effective management, inform NMPT sources.

3 jetties privatization

NMPT is the main source of import or export for several big-medium and small industries here including MRPL, MCF, Kudrehmukh, BASF, HPCL, Padubidri, Adani UPCL and others. There are 16 separate jetties at the port for this purpose.

Since the 15^th jetty has been procured by UPCL, it is being managed by Adani company. The 16^th jetty has been provided to Chettinad company and is expected to start functioning completely in a few days.

Hundreds of labourers to lose their livelihood

By handing over the 16^th jetty to the private company, already many stevedores who have been working here since several years have lost their livelihood. And with the privatization of the 14^th jetty as well, thousands of labourers will end up jobless. Therefore, until the 17^th jetty starts functioning, the 14^th jetty should not be privatized – Shekhar Poojary, President, Stevedore Association, NMPT