Two barges with 400 metric tonne cement reach Dhubri river port

DHUBRI, Jan 1: HLB Krish and HLB Jonbiri - the two barges having capacity of 400 metric ton – were together anchored at Dhubri Intertiol River Port from Pandu Port with cement. The barges reached Dhubri Port of Inland Water Authority (IWAI) of India and were towed by a ship. This was the first shipment of goods that reached Dhubri after completion of the Port recently.

The Dhubri Intertiol River Port, though not iugurated for official operation, yet in order to boost the commercial and economic activities in river transportation, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off the cargo consignments of cement for Dhubri at Pandu Port on the Brahmaputra, which is tiol Waterways 2, on December 29.

However, deep resentment prevails among the local labourers and truckers for not allowing them to unload and load the cement to carry them to the godowns of the traders in Dhubri and Sagolia of Dhubri district. Local labourers in the morning alleged that they waited many years for commercial activities to start at Dhubri Port hoping that they would be engaged as labourers but the traders whose 400 metric tonne cement was brought, were obstructing them from loading and unloading works.

“We have pleaded before the high officials of IWAI at Dhubri and we hope that our pleas will be heard and we will be allowed to carry unloading and loading works,” the labourers further. While war of words is going between officials of cement companies and labourers, local truckers said that they were allowed to carry the cement at the rate fixed by the IWAI. When contacted by The Sentinel, Junior Engineer of Hydrographic Surveyor at Dhubri River Port, Dharam th Prasad informed that there had been little misunderstanding but soon they were sorted out. “Now unloading and loading is going on smoothly as 17 trucks have been placed to unload and load the cement and I am expecting the 400 metric tonne of cement to be transported out of the port by tomorrow,” Prasad further informed.