The Republic Day was celebrated by the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) with PPT Chairman Rinkesh Roy unfurling the National Flag and taking salute from 42 platoons consisting of CISF Jawans, students of Paradip College, different schools and PPT employees retiring this year.
Roy said in the last few years, the PPT has chartered out an unprecedented path of progress in all spheres of activities. Traffic handling has grown from 71 MTPA in 2014-15 to 110 MTPA in 2018-19. Even in the current year, despite operating with two lesser berths on account of mechanisation projects, the port is poised to achieve 115 MTPA.
In fact, Paradip is the only port in the country where rates have been static since five long years. The port in the last few years has become debt-free as well as liability-free. In the coming fiscal, the port would commission the new import coal cargo berth, the new export iron ore berth and the mechanisation of EQ1, 2 & 3, Roy said.
The port has also undertaken a plantation drive of one lakh trees. It is installing a 10-MLD desalination plant to provide clean and safe drinking water to the township.
The port has taken up major dredging works of opening of the Mahanadi mouth which would benefit over 50,000 fishermen families of Paradip area.
Announcing steps to make the port township disaster-resilient, Roy inaugurated Generator Sets, which would provide 24x7 water and electricity to the citizens.
The PPT also contributes to employment generation. It has been sponsoring 120 students each year for six months’ training through CIPET Bhubaneswar with a yearly expenditure of Rs 72 lakh. A record number of 109 Diploma/ITI students have been given training in the last year.
The PPT is exploring the feasibility of a separate road from Bhutmundai to Atharbanki for truck movement, he said.
Roy awarded prizes to the winners of different competitions held for the occasion. He launched eco-friendly cotton bags under the aegis of Paradip Sakshyrata Samiti. A poets’ meet was also organised followed by an exhibition women’s volleyball match. In the evening, inter-school dance competitions on patriotic themes were held among schoolchildren.