The CPI(M) has sought the intervention of Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi in suspending operations at the Karaikal Port that involved shipments from countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in spite of the nationwide lockdown.
In a memorandum, R.Rajangam, CPI(M) district secretary, said the party had credible information from people of Mel Vanchiyoor of Karaikkal that the port was still being operated and only the other day, coal was offloaded from ships from countries like Iran and Indonesia, and another ship from China is scheduled to offload as well.
“There are foreigners in these ships and the local people are employed to clean these ships as under usual circumstances. The people of Mel Vanchiyoor are worried as the Karaikal port is being operated defying national lockdown during a pandemic”, the CPI(M) pointed out.
“This is a dangerous, outright arrogant act where the Karaikal Port is endangering the lives of Indians by allowing foreign ships and shipcrew to have direct and indirect contact through its crew as well as material that is being offloaded. This needs to be seen as a serious criminal act and immediate action should be taken”.
Restrictions are in place stipulating that vessels arriving from ports of infected countries identified for mandatory quarantine and travel ban by MoHFW, Government of India, before 14 days of departure from the infected port, or having seafarers embarked on the vessel who have been in infected regions within 14 days of arrival at any Indian port need to comply with additional measures. Vessels arriving from any port in China should have the necessary quarantine period of 14 days, the CPI(M) pointed out.
While the claim of some officials with whom the issue was raised was that they had obtained special “permissions” to operate the port, the Chief Minister’s Office had stated that this was not the case, the CPI(M) said.
According to the party spokesman, even if they have permission for doing so, taking into account the people who live near the port, all such operations should be immediately stopped.
The CPI(M) urged the Lt. Governor to seek the intervention of the PM's office to stop any more foreign ships from being allowed at the Karaikal port at a time when we do not allow our own poor fishermen to venture into the sea.
