BS reported that Orissa government has pulled up Gopalpur Ports Ltd for the delay in resuming construction work for second phase of the port project despite obtaining environment clearance for the same nearly eight months back.

The department of commerce & transport has sought up to date report on Phase-II construction work of the all-weather port by end of this month.

The department secretary Mr GK Dhal in a recent letter to Mr Mahimananda Mishra MD of GPL had called for expediting project work so that the work can be completed within the stipulated period.

Mr Dhal had also sought an action taken report from GPL for protection of the shoreline near Arjipalli in Ganjam district. As per the advice of Director of Integrated Coastal Zone Management project, the port authorities were asked to protect the shore near Arjipalli.

Earlier, the state government had asked the port promoters to commission second phase of the port operations by March 2013.

Phase-I of GPL, which involved anchorage port operations, started in January 2007 but phase-II construction work is yet to begin. The Union ministry of environment & forests had granted environment clearance for the project on March 30 this year.

Land measuring 393.67 acres has already been leased out in favor of GPL and 120.16 acres is under possession of the port authorities. Steps have also been taken to lease out additional 140.2 acres of land for the port project.

Besides, in the recent review meeting on Gopalpur port chaired by the state chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik, it was decided that private land required for development of the minor port will be acquired under Land Acquisition Act 1894. The state government had asked GPL to identify suitable private land and submit proposal for initiating land acquisition process.

The port project, entailing an investment of INR 3,500 crore, would be developed in phases, and would handle 54 million tonnes of cargo.

(Sourced from BS)