Mechanisation leads to joblessness: NMPT Chairman

08.04.10 Mangalore : The exports through the port have taken a meagre fallback, hence it must be recovered by enhancing the necessary infrastructure facilities to increase the exports resulting in better cargo logistics and foreign exchange, said P Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, briefing the performance of the port during current financial year 2009-2010, on Wednesday, April 7.

He also said that New Mangalore Port handled 35.52 million tonnes cargo in 2009-10 as against 36.69 million tonnes during the previous year registering shortfall of 1.16 million tonnes

The chairman also said that the process of mechanizing the coal handling facility is in final stage of completion and will be functioning by September 2010. He added that a project to set up a iron ore handling facility on BOT (Built-Operate-Transfer) basis at a cost of Rs. 296 Crores is on. Concrete works of roads inside the Port at a cost of Rs 30 crores has been completed. Other road works inside the Port area at a cost of Rs 20 crores are in different stages of progress.

He also said that mechanisation would lead to joblessness. He also disclosed that for security purposes the strength of CISF personnel will be increased to 280 from the current number of 219.