• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

CDLB may post net deficit of Rs 12.76 cr

Debaprosad Lahiri

CALCUTTA, March 30

THE Calcutta Dock Labour Board (CDLB) is likely to post a net deficit of Rs. 12.76 crores in the current financial year against the original budget estimate of Rs. 1.04 crores of surplus.

The CDLB's revenue earning during the period, it is estimated, would amount to Rs. 31.75 crores against the budgeted estimate of Rs. 55.37 crores, thus recording a shortfall of Rs. 23.62 crores.

The CDLB sources would attribute the shortfall to the drop in cargo throughput caused mainly by the diversion of ships to areas falling outside the jurisdiction of the CDLB, such as Saugar Islands, Diamond Harbour, Kulpi and other lighterage points. The drop in throughput caused by such diversions is estimated at 2.71 lakh tonnes of cargo.

The jump in statutory expenses too, it is felt, has hit the bottomline. No wonder, the budget proposal for 2000-2001 also projects a deficit of Rs. 19.81 crores.

In a joint statement to Mr. H.P. Roy, Chairman of CDLB and also the Chairman of Calcutta Port Trust, five board members representing the dock workers, namely, Mr. Janaki Mukherjee (INTUC), Mr. Amitava Banerjee (HMS), Mr. Robin Mazumdar (CITU), Mr. Sudhir Kumar Mitra (INTUC) and Md. Kausar (HMS) have emphasised the need for CDLB authorities to take appropriate measures to boost the earnings.

The measures, according to them, should include: no more granting of concessions and reliefs till the financial position of the board improves, suitable revision of the unitised rates on the basis of `manifest' to plug the existing loopholes in the reven ue income and to meet all the liabilities including annual pension liability to the extent of Rs. 24 crores along with accrued backlog liability, conversion of the existing sliding box rates for loading and unloading of containers into tonnage (instead o f TEU/TEUs) and introduction of unitised rates on the ground of transparency, introduction of the notional `operating cost' at the rate of Rs. 1,000 each container (irrespective of its length) not being stuffed and destuffed inside the dock, and, ensurin g regular contribution to the pension fund to meet arrears as per the Ministry's instructions.

The TU leaders point out that the board's earlier measure to reduce costs and attract more cargo through the announcement of different forms of fiscal reliefs for private employers, did not yield the results. The employers, on the other hand, as they com plain, continue to indulge in various irregularities in cargo handling thus depriving the board of its legitimate share of incomes. Side by side, the liabilities of the board increase by leaps and bounds.

``We are worried and anxious about the fate of the existing 2,700 workers and employees and 6,000 pensioners as also thousands of others who will be joining the pensioners' rank in coming days,'' they said.

The Association of Shipping Interests in Calcutta (ASIC) has also expressed their deep concern over the dwindling revenue of the Board and suggested necessary action to reduce the operating costs drastically.

According to Mr. Janaki Mukherjee, General Secretary, National Union of Waterfront Workers, ``the only way to combat the situation is to revert to the old method of realising CDLB charges''.