KARAIKAL: A day after at least 10 people fell off their two-wheelers after allegedly slipping on coal dust on the Nagore-Karaikal Road, Collector D Manikandan on Saturday instructed the Karaikal Port management to handle coal transportation better and warned the port authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Friday’s series of road mishaps near Ambalchathiram water tank on the Nagore-Karaikal Road, which were caught on CCTV cameras, triggered outrage on social media. Complaints over coal dust spillage on the road were also placed with the Karaikal administration. They blamed the spillage on the trucks transporting coal from Adani Port located on the town’s outskirts.
After investigation, Collector Manikandan convened a meeting at the Karaikal Collectorate on Saturday in which officials from various departments like transport and public works held discussions with the representatives from Adani Port.
In the meeting, the collector showed the port authorities the CCTV footage and questioned the latter’s actions. Admitting them to be at fault, the port authorities assured the collector of not repeating it, sources said.
Later at a presser, the collector observed that the port contributed to Karaikal’s development. He stated that he, however, stressed to the port authorities that public safety was paramount.