Paradip Port Trust (PPT) will have control over the Kanika Sands, an island off the Odisha coast, as the
union shipping ministry cancelled the earlier notification extending the port limit of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) to cover the island.
In a soon-to-be made gazette notification, the ministry decided to extend the jurisdiction of PPT to the island.
At a high-level meeting with the Chief Secretary of Odisha and the chairpersons of both KoPT and PPT, the union shipping secretary took this decision.
The ministry, it is learnt, was against the extension of the port limit of any private port in this regard. The representative of a yet-to-be launched private port in Odisha was also present at the meeting.
The earlier gazette extending the port limit of KoPT to cover Kanika Sands was notified about two years ago.
Since then, Odisha government was demanding the shipping ministry to repeal the decision.
The ministryÂ’s objective was to help KoPT undertake transloading of dry bulk cargo in the island in partnership with the trade.
Odisha government argues that the island is located off Odisha coast and therefore only the state should decide on who could work there.
The ministry replied that any decision in regard to ship movement in international waters rested with the centre. The matter went up to the Supreme Court, which directed that the dispute be settled amicably.
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