Date:19/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/19/stories/2006071904230400.htm

Kerala

TAMP holds hearing

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) Chairman A.L. Bongirwar held a hearing of the Cochin Port users on Tuesday in view of a proposal by the Port Trust to raise scale of rates for cargo operations.

The hearing was attended by Port Trust official as well as trade and industry, chambers of commerce, exporters and importers and Kochi Refineries Limited.

The Port Trust had proposed a 40 per cent across the board hike in scale of rates. But according to sources, the port users raised their anxiety about possible hike in charges. \They feel that if the Tariff Authority went ahead and sanctioned a further hike in cargo charges, Kochi would become too costly a port.

At the same time, the port authorities feel that the revision of rates is long overdue.

The Tariff Authority is expected to come out with an order soon on the Port Trust's proposals, it is learnt.