Berhampur, Aug. 10 :   SIB KUMAR DAS  Berhampur, Aug. 10:  The Gopalpur port area is headed for a major labour unrest unless the state government clearly declares its stand on the port's future. With the port's cargo handling operations facing the threat of closure, the port's 4,000-strong workforce may lose its livelihood, union leader Chittaranjan Dash said, leading to labour unrest which may drive away private parties interested in taking over operations of the loss-making port. The port, run by the state government, started operations two decades back as a seasonal port, with the aim of becoming a major all-season port. Usually, its cargo handling operations start from November 15 and continue till May 15. But till date, the port has not been able to break even. Since the port was incurring heavy losses, some state government circles suggested closing down its cargo handling operations this year. One of Gopalpur port's major customers happens to be Indian Rare Earths Ltd, which has one of its units near the port at Matikhalo. However, the cargo exported by IRE Ltd through the Gopalpur port has gone down in the last few years, leading to a fall in its income. On July 9, state chief secretary D. P. Bagchi said that since there was hardly any scope of export traffic from IRE Ltd this year and the port needs high budgetary support to keep it operational, it may not be opened for traffic in the year. Dash claimed although the bureaucracy was spreading misinformation about the future of the port, the chief minister had not yet given any indication that the port would be closed down. In fact, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had convened a meeting on the Gopalpur and Dharmara ports on June 14, but no decision to shut down the port was taken, he said. At the meeting, the chief minister had suggested handing over the port to Adani Exports Private Ltd by October, which would ensure its future operations. Adani Exports has already signed an MoU with the state government for the development of the Gopalpur Port. Dash feels the present impasse will cause great problems, as no private party will be interested in taking over the port unless it is active. Moreover, if a labour unrest brews up due to the fear of a possible closure of operations this year, then Adani Exports may do a rethink on it plans to assume charge at the port, he added.