Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday claimed that he has not received any letter from the Tamil Nadu counterpart requesting him to oppose draft Indian Ports Bill.
When asked whether he had received a letter from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stain requesting Chief Ministers of nine States including Goa to oppose the draft Indian Ports Bill framed by the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, Dr Sawant said, “I have not received any letter (on that matter).”
When contacted, Ports Minister Michael Lobo said that though a meeting of the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) has been convened on Thursday, June 24, the draft Indian Ports Bill was not mentioned in the agenda.
According to Lobo, the meeting to be held through video conferencing will mainly deliberate on issues of critical relevance relating to port sector and would endeavour to focus on charting out a path for maritime development for the country.
Stalin is learnt to have stated that he had written to his counterparts in nine coastal States — Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Puducherry, asking them to object to the draft Indian Ports Bill as it will dilute the power of States.
Stalin had also stated that the draft Bill is likely to be discussed in the MSDC meeting wherein the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is trying to modify the current management model of minor ports and transfer all powers vested with the concerned State government to the MSDC, an advisory body and thereby reduce the autonomous role of State in the regulation and management of minor ports.
