BJP MLA Amonkar threatens cos, puts Goa port ops at risk

Panaji: In a brazen display of political high-handedness, BJP’s Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar has threatened transporters at Mormugao port to “only utilise the services of his strongman” to handle cargo, forcing many of the companies to consider shifting their operations out of Goa.
After Amonkar’s arm-twisting and political interference had led to Aditya Birla group shifting its port operations to Maharashtra, a Mumbai-based company has now written to Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) to rein in the BJP MLA as it is “detrimental to the survival” of their operations.
Amonkar’s blatant misuse of political clout as a ruling party member has led to losses worth crores of rupees, besides the MPA brand getting tarnished nationally and internationally.
“We could not start cargo dispatch movement as our transporters and lorry operators are being threatened by a group associated with Mormugao local MLA Sankalp Amonkar,” said the representative of a company that imported gypsum.
“We are being warned of severe consequences should we attempt to initiate the cargo dispatch movement,” the representative said in an email to MPA.
TOI has in its possession details of the shipment, the names of the importers and companies that are affected.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, TOI had raised this issue with chief minister Pramod Sawant. The chief minister had said that he would ensure that cargo handling at the port is not halted or affected.
“Cargo unloaded in May and July 2024 is still lying in the port due to transportation issues at the MLA’s behest. Despite the evident impact, no immediate action has been taken to address or mitigate the issue,” said a port official.
Sources said 53,250 tonnes of gypsum, which arrived at the port on Jun 26, has been held hostage at the port for the past eight days, with goons aligned to Amonkar threatening the truckers and cargo handlers.
“MLA of the Mormugao constituency has been exerting undue political pressure on the MPA users, coercing the trade to utilise the services of his appointed strongman—a transport contractor—within the port. This contractor’s presence appears solely to satisfy the MLA’s demands, allegedly for monetary gain. Such interference has caused considerable delays in cargo transportation within and from the port,” said a port official.
The company representative said the failure to dispatch the cargo promptly would lead to substantial storage charges, which would not be economically feasible for them.
“As an authority well versed in our diligent efforts to arrange and handle cargo shipments at this port, and with the port’s supportive role in attracting cargo for handling, we find the interference by the local MLA of Mormugao to be deeply concerning for our trade activities,” the representative said.
TOI had reported on Feb 14 that “arm-twisting” by Amonkar had led to a Rs 15 crore loss, prompting the Aditya Birla Group to divert all its cargo from Mormugao to Jaigarh in Maharashtra. Similar pressure tactics in May caused a Mumbai-based company to divert the MV Haykal, which was carrying 73,450 tonnes of gypsum again to Jaigarh.
MPA officials told TOI that the Union ministry for ports and shipping has asked them to ensure that cargo ships take not more than 51 hours (2 days 3 hours) to unload their cargo and leave the berth. The Centre has also asked the port to reduce the cargo clearance and release time.
This cargo release time counts the duration from the arrival of cargo at the port to the transportation of the cargo from the port after all processes such as custom clearance, regulatory clearances, dwell time and logistics is completed.
“Any disruption not only affects the local economy but also tarnishes the port’s reputation nationally and internationally. These actions have placed an undue burden on the daily operations and income, threatening job security and the livelihood of port workers, who rely on timely and uninterrupted operations,” said one of the cargo handling agencies.