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Paradip, Sept 5: The Paradip Port Trust today denied entry permits to over a hundred iron ore-laden trucks for not carrying permits, abiding by regulatory measures introduced by the Odisha government on illegal mining activities.
As a result, trucks carrying about 16,000 tonnes of iron ore that were earmarked for export mainly to China are lying stranded outside the entrance to the port.
“The transporters failed to produce electronic transit permit pass as required under a new rule framed by the Odisha government. Instead, they were carrying manual transit passes. So, the cargo-carriers were stopped from gaining access into the prohibited territory of the port for cargo-handling operations,” said a port official.
“The matter has been referred to the Odisha mining directorate which had earlier directed the port to allow access to the cargo-carriers with electronic transit pass,” said port secretary Naba Kishore Mishra.
The slump in cargo-handling operations and annual business in the wake of restriction imposed by the Odisha government on mining activities and ore transportation has become a major cause for worry for Odisha’s lone major port.
Iron ore transportation to the port had resumed after a prolonged interruption, rekindling hopes of spurt in business. However, the introduction of stringent measures to curb smuggled ore through e-transit passes and other regulatory measures were doing more harm than good on the port’s tariff front, said an official of the port.
He said the Union shipping ministry had issued directives asking all major port trusts, including the Paradip Port Trust, to adopt measures to check illegal export of iron ore.
The ministry guidelines specified that all ports must check that a plot holder or an allottee of iron ore is only authorised to move iron ore to the plot by road and rail and the railway authorities are also informed accordingly.
According to these guidelines, unauthorised transportation or shifting of iron ore inside the port is prohibited and the allotment has to be cancelled in case of violation.
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