Technical glitches delay inking of pact over Princess

Technical glitches delay inking of pact over Princess
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 13
Technical glitches have delayed the process of signing of agreement between the government and the Arihant Ship Breakers for the removal of the ill-fated vessel River princess, which has been grounded off Candolim beach for over a decade.
Arihant Ship Breakers, bagged the contract in November, but a contract is still to be signed.
Officials said that it may take ten days more before the State Government actually signs an agreement with the contractors.
Director of Tourism Swapnil Naik said that getting a stretch on the Candolim as the Customs point has been the major reason in signing the agreement.
“Getting the Candolim beach stretch identified as Customs point becomes mandatory as the grounded ship is a foreign vessel,” he said.
The Director of Tourism  however  said, they expect to  sort out technicalities shortly  to make  a way  for  removing the vessel from Candolim.
Meanwhile, Arihant Ship Breakers have started mobilising equipments for cutting the vessels into pieces, which will be then moved seawards to be taken to the scrapyard.
Naik, meanwhile said, the department has also received a second valuation report of the vessel, which has been forwarded to the government.
Another company had recently submitted its report to the department but since the department wanted to compare valuations of two companies it asked another company to do the job.
Both the reports are being considered and final decision as to which report has to be accepted will be made in the next two-three days, he said.
Naik, however, refused to reveal scrap value of the vessel mentioned in any of the two reports.