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Kathmandu,Monday February 28, 2000 Fagun 16, 2056.
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Stranded cargo in Calcutta cross
500
By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, Feb 27 - The number of Nepal-bound
containers stranded in Calcutta port has increased to over 500 as the strike called by a
section of Indian transporters dealing with the transit of Nepal-bound containers entered
seventh day today.
More containers are expected to pile up as more
feeder-vessels bringing Nepali businessmen-imported containers are expected to reach the
Calcutta port.
A newly formed Truck and Trailer Owners’
Association, comprising of about 200 Indian transporters, called a strike effective from
February 21st demanding fare hike in the transportation of containers from Calcutta to
Nepal.
The movement of goods which was partly affected on
21st and 22nd February, came under complete halt after the strikers resorted to violence
on February 23. Akhil Kumar Chapagain, Vice-President of Nepal Foreign Trade Association
informed that clearing agents dealing with Nepalese cargo in Calcutta, strikers and
Calcutta customs officials held a discussion last Friday to end the stalemate but
couldn’t strike an agreement.
Chapagain demanded immediate intervention of the
government to resolve the crisis. “If the strike prolongs, it will cost Nepali
businessmen dearly in the form of inflating demurrage charge,” said he. Chapagain
also informed that Nepali businessmen have already been slapped a demurrage charge of over
two million rupees in the last one week.
Sushil Kumar Gupta, Managing Director of Atlas De
Cargo, a leading cargo company, informed that the members of the newly formed Association
have started to express divided opinion regarding whether they should allow the
transporters, who have so far declined to be associated with the Association, to move the
containers.
The members of the Association have not allowed any
movement of the containers so far. They vandalized a truck trying to load the containers
on Thursday and returned another truck empty on Saturday.
The new association has a total membership of only
200 Indian transporters out of over 5,000 Nepali and Indian transporters involved in the
movement of Nepal-bound containers. The transporters outside the Association as well as
the Nepali importers have opposed the demand for fare hike. Gupta termed the demand for
transportation hike as “illegal.”
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