Parties Stage Protest in Krishnapatnam, Seek Restoration of Container Terminal

Tirupati: Political party leaders staged a protest at the Krishnapatnam Port on Thursday demanding the restoration of normal operations at the port's container terminal. They warned of escalating the protests if the operations are not restored within 15 days.

Members of the Telugu Desam, BJP, Jana Sena, Congress, and the CPI as also various trade unions, led by TD politburo member and former minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, met Krishnapatnam Port CEO G.J. Rao to question the alleged shutdown of the container terminal.

Speaking to the media, Chandramohan Reddy accused minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy of illegally collecting tolls on the road to the port. He said the port authorities had shut down the container terminal using this as an "excuse" to move their operations to Tamil Nadu.

"When we asked the port CEO about the terminal shutdown, he gave no clear reply as to whether the operations would resume," he said.

Chandramohan Reddy expressed his concern that the land acquired from local farmers for the construction of 16,000 acres of SEZs around the port was now left unused. “Some 10,000 jobs are at stake due to the terminal's shutdown and the port is only handling bulk cargo.” He said bulk cargo handling is creating major dust pollution.

Chandramohan Reddy alleged that the Adani group shifted the terminal operations out of fear of the Govardhan Reddy. He accused the authorities of allowing dumping of iron ore in the container yard. “The port activity is now limited to handling of the dirty cargo rejected by Tamil Nadu. We will not tolerate this injustice," he said.

The all-party delegation has given the port authorities a 15-day ultimatum to restore container operations or face an intensified protest.

Telugu Desam district president Abdul Aziz, DCC president Devakumar Reddy, BJP district president Vamsidhar Reddy, AITUC district secretary Ravi Shankar, Jana Sena Sarvepalli in-charge Suresh Naidu and others were present.