Protesters clash with police at Gangavaram Port

Tension gripped Gangavaram Port area from the early hours of Tuesday following an attempt by the police to thwart a ' maha dharna ' called by the CITU-affiliated Gangavaram Port Employees' Union in front of the port main gate.

Police, who were mobilised in large numbers and put up pickets at roads leading to the port, did not allow the protesters to enter the premises. Later some of the protesters threw chilli powder at the police.

CITU activists, after organising dharnas for 10 days, wanted to lay siege to the port main gate to press for regularisation of contract workers, payment of minimum wages and implementation of labour laws.

The port was built by the D.V.S. Raju-led consortium under PPP mode after the land belonging to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was transferred to the special purpose vehicle for construction of the port.