Dumper owners’ body in Odisha’s Paradip fined Rs 3.86 lakh

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi/Paradip, Jan 22:

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has slapped Rs 3.86 lakh penalty on the Dumper Owners’ Association and its office bearers for unfair business practices with respect to rates for providing dumper services within the Paradip Port in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district.

The Commission has asked the Association to refrain from such unethical practices.

“The Association has indulged in the practice of determining the rates of the provision of dumper services for intra-port transport operations within the restricted area of Paradip Port which amounts to determination of sale price of the services of dumpers which is in violation of the Competition Act,” the Commission said in its order on Wednesday.

It also held the office bearers of the Association equally responsible for indulging in anti-competitive practices of controlling and limiting the provisions of dumper services for intra-port transportation of cargo inside the prohibited area of the port.

The Commission slapped a fine of Rs 2.60 lakh on the Association and Rs 1.26 lakh on its five office bearers on the basis of the report of the Director General (DG) after an investigation following a complaint by the Swastik Stevedores Private Ltd that the Association, in connivance with Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and taking advantage of its monopoly position, had been refusing to provide dumpers and hywas.

It may be mentioned that the Dumper Owner’s Association is a facilitator between the licensed stevedores and owners of dumpers and hywas for handling of cargo and their intra-port transportation inside the Paradip port.