Steel barge owners announce agitation

Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Mar 12 (UNI) As a protest against the diversion of raw sugar--one of the traditional cargoes from the anchorage port - the Port Steel Barge Owners Association decided to observe a day's 'bandh' tomorrow.

Associaton President B Ramamurthy told UNI tonight that they had to take the extreme step in view of the first shipment of raw sugar commencing at the deep-water port this evening in violation of the assurances given by the government time and again.

He said the movement of all steel barges would come to standstill from early morning tomorrow.

Consequently, loading and unloading operations in the anchorage port will come to a grinding halt. There were eight ships working in the anchorage port at present.

UNI XR/AP GM VD ND2216