HBT pulls out of Haldia, state government says ‘no crisis’
1 Nov 2012 7:08 AM IST
Haldia Bulk Terminals (HBT), the ABG–LDA joint venture operator that ran the Haldia dock complex is quitting West Bengal, citing that the law and order situation is not conducive for business in the state. The state Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee however said that things were under control at the Haldia dock and there was no crisis in the industrial scenario of Bengal.
The HBT decision has been communicated to both Kolkata Port Trust and the Calcutta High court on Wednesday. Just two days ago three officials of the operator were allegedly forced out of Haldia at gun point in the dead of night. HBT officials allege multiple calls to the local police station but no help was forthcoming. The Mumbai-based operator had shut operations at both its terminals in the Haldia Dock systems since the fourth week of September.
‘With a deep sense of disappointment we’ll have to inform you that we haven been with no option but to walk out from Haldia dock complex with immediate effect,’ Gurpreet Malhi, CEO of HBT said in a statement.
‘We cannot work in an environment where the authorities responsible for ensuring the law and order and success of the project have openly renounced their responsibility,’ Malhi said. He stressed that the safety and security of their employed was above their business interest.
While the Congress, CPI(M) and BJP have condemned the attitude of the state government and administrative inaction leading to the exit of the operator, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that everything was normal at the port. The HBT, which started operation in 2010 played a key role in pulling out the port operations from a financial crisis in which the KOPT had recorded a loss of revenue between 2007 and 2010.
The HBT decision has been communicated to both Kolkata Port Trust and the Calcutta High court on Wednesday. Just two days ago three officials of the operator were allegedly forced out of Haldia at gun point in the dead of night. HBT officials allege multiple calls to the local police station but no help was forthcoming. The Mumbai-based operator had shut operations at both its terminals in the Haldia Dock systems since the fourth week of September.
‘With a deep sense of disappointment we’ll have to inform you that we haven been with no option but to walk out from Haldia dock complex with immediate effect,’ Gurpreet Malhi, CEO of HBT said in a statement.
‘We cannot work in an environment where the authorities responsible for ensuring the law and order and success of the project have openly renounced their responsibility,’ Malhi said. He stressed that the safety and security of their employed was above their business interest.
While the Congress, CPI(M) and BJP have condemned the attitude of the state government and administrative inaction leading to the exit of the operator, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that everything was normal at the port. The HBT, which started operation in 2010 played a key role in pulling out the port operations from a financial crisis in which the KOPT had recorded a loss of revenue between 2007 and 2010.
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