VIJAYAWADA : The Steel Executives Association general secretary K Venkata Durga Prasad filed a contempt of court petition against the management of Gangavaram Port in the High Court on Thursday.
The petitioner said the court’s directions to the port management on supply of coal to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant through a conveyor belt are not being implemented. Visakhapatnam district Collector A Mallikarjuna, Adani Gangavaram Port CEO Amit Malik, Visakhapatnam police commissioner A Ravishankar, Assistant Commissioner Moses Paul, and a few port officials were made respondents in the case.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel explained that due to shortage of the coal, steel plant operations have been pushed into dire straits.
Advocate Subrahmanyam appearing for the Steel Plant said the shortage of coal has created a crisis, which the steel plant CMD and other officials are trying to address.
Counsel for the port management objected to the CEO of the Port being made a respondent in the case. He said though the request for security was made to the police, citing elections as the reason, it was not done. He added district and police authorities are not being cooperative. Taking the arguments into consideration, the court issued notices to the respondents. It reminded the petitioners and respondents that orders, acceptable to all parties, were issued and that the responsibility to implement them lies with every one.
Gangavaram Port management filed a petition in the court seeking directions to the police department to maintain law and order and ensure that cargo transportation is not hindered. Subsequently, the court directed the police department in favour of the port.