Relief to Lanka stuck in Chennai port

Published Date: 1-August-2009


G Saravanan

Chennai, July 31:
MORE than 100 containers of relief materials for the internally displaced Tamil people (IDPs) of Sri Lanka that were sent in the fourth phase by the State government, are stuck at a yard at the Chennai port as the recipient nation has not agreed to accept it. According to sources, the containers, loaded with items like dress materials for children, men and women, groceries (including baby milk powder), and life saving medicines, meant for an estimated 80,000 families, are lying at the container yard for two weeks.

The materials had been procured by the State’s Co-optex and Civil Supplies Department for the Lankan Tamils and brought to the port in 100 containers belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). The shipment of the containers to Colombo should have happened by July third week itself. It is learnt that the Sri Lankan government is not showing any interest in allowing the Indian Red Cross Society to handle the relief materials in Lanka. Hence the delay in getting permission.
A senior SCI official confirming that the relief materials were lying at the port, said that only a high level diplomatic effort coupled with the Ministry of External Affairs’ intervention could solve the problem.

The unexplained delay has also caused much hardship to the Chennai Container Terminal Limited, operators of the Chennai Port’s first container terminal. According to sources, the delay has increased demurrage charges at the yard, which is now at Rs 45 lakh. The State government’s official responsible for the shipment of relief to Colombo was not available for comment.