Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Mar 24: As part of the nation-wide protest plan undertaken by trade unions on Wednesday March 23 against proposed privatization plans of Jawarhalal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) Mumbai, the employees held a protest at New Mangalore Port Trust in Panambur here.

In February last, Mohandas, union secretary in the department of shipping, had said in Chennai that JNPT Mumbai will be privatized shortly. He also had spelt out plans to privatize New Mangalore Port Trust, Paradeep, Goa and Tuticorin in phases in the coming days.

In JNPT, indefinite strike began on Wednesday against the above move. On April 6, a day’s national level symbolic strike followed by indefinite strike from April 15 onwards, are planned to be carried out.  NMPT too has decided to participate in this protest plan.

NMPT Staff Association president, N Ramachandra Gowda, Dock and General Workers Union secretary, H Dinesh Achar, and I K Lakshminarayan Rao of New Mangalore Port Trust, addressed the protestors. They demanded for the dropping of the privatization initiatives, as they will work to the detriment of  the working class.

NMPT Staff Association honorary president, M Sureshchandra Shetty, general secretary, Subash Kateel, senior vice-president, B Sadashiva Shettigar, and various other leaders led the protestors.