Dakshina Kannada to conduct checkups for cargo workers
The Dakshina Kannada district administration has made arrangements to conduct health checkup for all workers who are onboard cargo ships from Kerala which transport essential commodities and other required goods from Mangaluru to Lakshadweep.
Over 6,500 metric tonne food grains and other items are transported annually from Mangaluru to Lakshadweep. Except for coconut and fish, Lakshadweep depends on Mangaluru and Kerala for the supply of essential commodities and other required goods via Mangaluru, and Kochi ports.
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On Thursday, loading workers in the Old Port in Mangaluru staged a protest after they noticed that a cargo ship from Kerala that transport goods to Lakshadweep was allowed to load goods from the old port in Mangaluru without any precautionary measures. Trade union leaders and elected representatives at the Old Port complained that health checkup was not conducted on the workers who were on board.
A delegation led by MLC Ivan D’Souza, Corporator Lathif Kandak, City Corporation Council opposition leader Abdul Rauf brought the issue to the notice of Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh.
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The MLC said that the DC has agreed to make arrangements to conduct health checkup for all workers aboard Kerala-based cargo ships that anchor at Old Port in Mangaluru to load goods for transporting to Lakshadweep.
Photo: MLC Ivan D’Souza and others at Old Port in Mangaluru.
