Bhadrak, June 13: The Odisha government has initiated action to deport 10 Chinese nationals working with a private company in Dharma port.

The action, prompted by security concerns as the place is close to Abdul Kalam Island, where a missile testing facility is located, has been taken following a letter to the state government from the Union ministry of home affairs based on intelligence inputs.

The Odisha home department had sought a report on the issue from the Bhadrak police, which found that 10 Chinese nationals were staying in the district without valid visas. They were working for a Thailand-based company with business visas instead of work visas. "The process has been initiated to deport the foreign nationals who are working without valid visas," said state home secretary Asit Tripathy.

Bhadrak superintendent of police Nihar Ranjan Das said there were reports that 19 Chinese nationals were working in Dhamra port. "Upon verification, it was found that 10 were working for the company. These foreign nationals were in possession of business visas but were still working for the company. The process for their deportation has been initiated," he said.

"These foreign nationals arrived in Bhadrak district and at the port on different dates. While some of them have already left the place, 10 are still there," said Das. They will be served with notices to leave after completion of due procedure, he added.

Sources said the Chinese nationals were engaged in the port expansion work such as construction of new jetties. They have been staying in a rented house at Kainthakhala village in Dhamra. So far, 25 Chinese nationals have visited the port in various phases over the past year. While 15 of them left Dhamra in two phases, 10 are still staying in Kainthakhala village.

The official spokesperson of the port, Himansu Sahoo, said the Adani group-owned port was in expansion mode. The expansion work was being carried out by PMC Projects, a subsidiary of the Adani group.

"PMC has engaged different companies for the expansion work. For one project, a Thailand-based private company was engaged after tendering was completed. The Chinese nationals working for the company were engaged for soil testing and soil stabilization," said Sahoo.

Since Abdul Kalam Island (formerly Wheeler Island), which has an Integrated Test Range (ITR) for testing missiles of various capacities, is located about 15 nautical miles from the port, the presence of foreign nationals without valid visas poses a national security concern, said sources.

ITR director Binay Kumar Das said: "I had a talk with the port head, Subrat Tripathy, regarding the presence of the foreign nationals. The ITR complex, including Kalam's Island, is well guarded."