Mangalore, Oct 23: Vessels owners and members belonging to the Old Mangalore Port Users' Association staged a demonstration in front of the Port Office beside the docks in Bunder, here on Tuesday, demanding the immediate appointment of a permanent surveyor of vessels in Mangalore Port.
The post of the Permanent surveyor of vessels having remained vacant from the past few weeks, inspection of cargo vessels could not be conducted and vessel owners had to face a lot of inconvenience over this.
The demonstrators, which included owners of small cargo vessel, demanded that the appointment of permanent surveyor be made without delay.
Even as the demonstration was being carried out, the vessel owners began to prevent the passenger vessel bound for Lakshadweep from loading, in order to prevent the vessel'M V Amindivi' from embarking on its journey to Lakshadweep.
Few of the demonstrators refused to let the passenger vessel embark from the docks.
This led to confusion and amidst Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo's arrival at the Port Office, a minor clash broke out between two sections of the demonstrators.
However, with MLA Lobo's assurances that the problem be sorted out on priority basis within two days, the dispute quietened down with the help of police intervention.
Leaders of the port users' association tried to calm the vessel owners and convinced them to wait for two days for any action by the state government, as promised by the MLA.
President of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammed Amin also arrived and requested the demonstrators not to halt trade as it would turn into a black mark on the port city.
“It is not right to take adverse actions in this case, and preventing of flow of trade will be a loss to the government,” he said, advising the demonstrators not to allow for trade to be diverted to Calicut or other ports in Kerala.
Association president Charandas Karkera and general secretary Abdul Latheef agreed to let the vessel'M V Amindivi' embark, after assurances of prompt action in two days.
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