1,200 litigation cases still pending: KoPT chairman

The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) chairman R P S Kahlon on Thursday said there were some 1,200 litigation cases relating to land and occupants. Kahlon said rent dues will be in the tune of 

Rs 400-500 crore. 

“There are some 1,200 litigation cases relating to land and occupants. We are trying for out-of-court settlements with the occupants, be it original tenants or sub-tenants, if <g data-gr-id="27">original</g> owner does not <g data-gr-id="26">exists</g>,” Kahlon said at an interactive session with Bharat Chamber of Commerce members.

He said the port was contemplating to offer some benefits like first right of refusal and regularise the present tenants who are currently treated as illegal occupants as per the port.

“We will offer first right of refusal to those tenants who clear the dues and then ‘first’ vacate the possession before they match the highest bidder to continue,” Kahlon said.

However, he pointed out, this was just an idea on which the port was working <g data-gr-id="21">on</g> but they will evaluate each tenant on a case-to-case basis on regularisation issue.

His statement was significant as KoPT took <g data-gr-id="25">tough</g> stand in removing Venkatesh Films at the behest of the Ananda Bazaar Patrika owner Avik Sarkar. Venkatesh Films owner Srikant Mohta had earlier filed an FIR against Avik Sarkar alleging that he was threatening him using the name of Amit Shah. 

According to political observers, Sarkar used his political influence and settled his score with Chief Minister Mamata <g data-gr-id="29">Benerjee</g>.