Paradip port move to mechanize berth,Nobel Group opposes

Nobel Group led consortium which has been awarded the contract for constructing a deep draft iron ore berth on BOT basis through the public private partnership mode is believed to have gone to court protesting against proposed mechanisation citing a clause in the concessional agreement it signed with the port authorities in July.According to the clause, no competing facility can be created within the port once the deep draught iron ore berth has been constructed. When completed, the mechanisation is to push up the cargo handling capacity of CQ3 berth, now manually operated, from the present 2.5 million tonnes to 6 million tonnes annually. In fact, several firms have responded to bids invited by PPT. However PPT cannot proceed further due to the court case.
                                  
           If the Nobel Group’s contention is accepted, then the port authorities will not be able to take up any modernisation relating to iron ore handling facility in the port, not even during the next three years, the time to be taken for constructing the deep draught iron ore berth. The Group is supposed to start construction work from January.

Mr K Raghuramaiah chairman of PPT said that court case was on over the issue of mechanisation of the CQ 3 berth. He however declined to comment on it, saying the matter was sub judice.He said the port authorities were going ahead with the preparation for awarding the contract for the construction of a multi-purpose berth through the PPP mode. A total of 10 firms, all Indian, have responded to the RFQ they would be shortlisted to seven according to PPP guidelines. He added that “We will invite price bids once the Tariff Authority for Major Ports, the regulator, decides on the upfront tariff for 30 years.”

Stop industrialization at the cost of agriculture and food security of millions of people

Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti plans a padajatra from paradip to puri AGAINST PREDATORY CORPORATIONS on  29th of this month.

Doppler radar facility to come up in 4 cities

Doppler radar, best known for its near accuracy weather forecasting capability, will be installed at four locations of the State.
 Paradip, Balasore,Gopalpur and Sambalpur are the four selected sites. While the Indian Meteorological Department will install the radars, the state government will provide necessary infrastructure support.

 Revenue Minister SN Patra told mediapersons that land has been allotted at the four sites and Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) will construct buildings on which the Doppler radar will be mounted.The Minister who reviewed the progress of construction of cyclone shelters said it has been decided to construct at least 480 multi-purpose cyclone shelters along the coastline.The maximum distance between two cyclone shelters will be one kilometer.The state has a 480-km coastline.Meanwhile, 189 out of 203 multipurpose cyclone shelters have been constructed in six coastal districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsingpur, Puri and Ganjam. These cyclone shelters have been funded by the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, Red Cross and World Bank.The Government has submitted a proposal for construction of 150 such shelters to the World Bank for financial assistance.Construction of 64 cyclone shelters was taken up in Kendrapara district and some of them are incomplete.While roof of the second floor of 14 cyclone shelters have been laid, only first floor of four shelters have been completed. The Minister has instructed the authorities to complete all the buildings by November-end.The proposed cyclone shelter at Satabhaya village has been relocated to Bengapatia. Satabhaya village having 750 families is constantly under threat from the sea and the villages are worst affected during rainy season and cyclonic circulation. The Government has decided to resettle Satabhaya villagers at Bengapatia, he said.Revenue Minister RK Sharma, Special Relief Commissioner NK Sundarray and IMD Orissa Director SC Sahu were also present.

Indian Navy plans to set up 'Forward Operating Base' in Orissa's Paradip

Indian Navy plans to set up 'Forward Operating Base' in Paradip to secure the Orissa coastline. It was said by Rear Admiral P Murgusean, fleet

commander of Eastern Naval Command on Sunday to media. He said this during the demonstration and exercise by the seven warships off Paradip coast. Murgusean

said besides, small and medium range warships would also be deployed in the state for better sea surveillance.

He said that a wide gap exists in east coast in the absence of any naval facility between Vishakhapatnam and Haldia. He also informed that plans were afoot

to have a forward operating base at Paradip which would go a long way in smoothening movement of naval vessels and providing logistic support.

Earlier people give a glimpse to seven warships - INS Jalaswa, INS Rajput, INS Kora, INS Kulish, INS Kanjar and INS Kuthar and Kirpan on the occasion of Navy

Week at Paradip Port. Apart from carrying out rescue operation, a number of security exercises were performed by the warships.

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War ships visited Paradip

To commeorate NAVY WEEK in December, 7 warships have arrived at Paradip on 07th November morning. They are INS Jhalsa, INS Rajput, INS Khanjar, INS Kora, INS Kulish, INS Kuthar and INS Virat. There is a big rush of people from various places of Odisha to visit the ships as the ships are kept free for visit of Public from 10 AM to 5 PM on 07th November. Several thousands of people are taken care of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard whose special busses who arrived at Paradip, carrying the public from Gate No.4 of PPT to the war ships. PPT is not charging any entry fee for the people visiting warships and they have provided two jettys Coal Berth No.2 and Mulitipurpose berth for acomodating the ships. The ships are ultra modern war ships of Indian Navy fitted with Missiles, Rocket Luncher, Machine Guns, War helicopters etc. On 08th Chief Minister of Odisha with his officials are to visit these ships at Port and to hold a high level meeting with the Navy,Coast Guard, Marine Police officials on securty of vulnerable Odisha coast especially the major Port Paradip. It has been reported in media few days back that the terrorists are planning a 26/11 mumbai type of attack on various parts of India.

Senior citizens visits Paradip by bi cycles.

On the news of sinking ship BLACK ROSE at Paradip many people in Orissa were curious to see the sunk ship. 4 senior citizen of Konark area were also curious like others to see the sunk ship. They came by bi-cycles all the way from Konarak and saw the ship from the sea beach and retuned back. Khetrabasi Bhola aged 82 yrs, Gangadhar Sahoo aged 76 yrs, Gangadhara Bharti aged 65 yrs and Sobani Behera aged 62 yrs had left their village Junei in Konark area on 19th Octber to come to Paradip by bicycles. They came via Kakatpur and had darshan of Maa Mangala, Gorekhnath and Maa Sarala of Jhankad and arrived at Paradip on 22nd. After visiting the seabeach and seeing the sunk ship little bit, they left Paradip and went to Kendrapara to have darshan of Baldevjew . Then they will return to their village. They also reported that in the same cycles these 4 friends had visited Paradip 35 years back and now they are using same cycles. They also wanted to give a message to the people that by using cycle they will be not part of the pollution of the environment. This  unique attempt by senior citizens will be inspiring the modern youths for adventure.

PPT berth reservation attracts Steel Plants

Paradip Port Trust's berth reservation policies for the Steel manufacturing industries has attracted many steel plants in the state. The reservation policy started from 15th October was utilised by the private sector steel plant TATA Steel Ltd. whose 6 to 7 ships were berthed using this policy of Port. Threafter another steel plant Visa Steel entered into agreement with PPT to use the opportunity to get early berthing of their ships. Now it is reported that the public sector steel plant Steel Authority of India Ltd. is likely to enter with an agreement with PPT for the said berth reservation policy. Earlier honourble Odisha High Court in its order had directed PPT to allot berths to the ships carrying the cargo of SAIL on a priority basis. But this order was of little help to the public sector as their ships were not given berths immediately and they had to wait for the couple of days. However if SAIL enters into the agreement with PPT for berth reservation, their ships also will get benefit like other private sector steel plant. PPT, to encourage import of cargo has decided to keep reserved two of its berth for steel manufacturing plants for their import of raw materials for the plant like coking coal and lime stone cargo. PPT is following the policy of first cum first serve policy of all the vessels calling Paradip Port. However the steel plants are suffering as the ships carrying cargo of various traders who are importing cargo through Paradip Port for their trading purpose are delaying the ships of steel plants which is resulting in disruption of the production of the steel plants situated in Odisha and the neighouring states. The berth reservation policy has given a boost to the steel plants who can minimise their losses by way of early berthing instead of waiting at anchorage for 15 to 20 days earlier. The Port congestion which was earlier for 20 to 25 days few months back has come down to 6 to 7 days as there is a less demand on Iron ore by the principal importer China has been reduced which has discouraged the ships calling Paradip to load Iron ore. However this policy of berth reservation is made for 6 months i.e. till 31st March 2010 on an experimental basis.

720 tonnes of fuel oil recovered from MV Black Rose

It is reported that nearly 720 tonnes of fuel oil had so far been retrieved from the sunken Mongolian ship 'Black Rose' off the Paradip coast.

An official of the Paradip Port Trust said that the fuel retrieval from the ship, which sank off the coast with 975 tonnes of fuel on September 9, was

expected to be completed within next three to four days.

Florida based Resolve Marine Group began oil evacuation from the sunken ship on October 22. A group of experts from the US firm consisting of salvage master,

salvage engineer, safety engineer and underwater divers apart from other members had been engaged in the oil evacuation work.

The Mongolian ship that sank with furnace oil and iron ore fines had sparked fears of oil spill and environmental pollution.

Port day and Boita Bandana celebrated at Paradip Port.

Port Day and the Boita Banda Utsav was celebrated at Paradip Port Trust wet basin on 02nd November morning. The PPT Chairman K.Raghuramaiah  inaugurated the celebrations as Chief Guest in a traditional function near the Marine site Office wet basin. He handed over the auspicious coconut to the Sadhavas in their traditional dresses who sailed in a decorated tradtional boita (Lunch) as a mark of respect towards journey of Sadhavas in ancient Kalinga to distant countries like Java, Sumatra, Bali etc. There was blowing of conch by the girls dressed as Sadhavani, the wives of Sadhava. In the held meeting, the head of Marine Department, Capt.GP Biswal delivered his welcome address and described the back ground of Boita Bandana and Port Day celebrations. The Chief Guest K.Raghuramaiah in his address to the public stressed on working for the development of the Port unitedly forgetting all the differences between individuals and departments of the Port and all should make efforts to make Paradip as a No.1 Port in the country. The Guest of Honour Dy.Chairman of PPT Biplab Kumar in his speech said that by 31st October 2009, the port has sofar achieved 31 million cargo handling record. This is possible by the hard labour of PPT employees and Port users. He hoped the Port will achieve another mile stone in cargo handling during this financial year end.  The vote of thanks was given by PPT Secretary PK Nanda. About 10000 Paradip people including the HODs of various PPT departments, Central and State Government employees, Employees of various Importers, Exporters, Stevedores, Shipping Agents were present in this important celebrations of PPT.