Paradip port resumes dredging work

Kolkata: Maintenance dredging at Paradip port, which had remained suspended for several days due to breakdown of Dredging Corporation of India's dredgers, has resumed. 'Dredge IX has resumed operation after repair', according to Paradip Port Trust sources. 'It will be some time before Dredge VIII, which has gone back to Viaskhapatnam for repair, is put back into operation'.

The scope of maintenance dredging at Paradip presupposes removal of 1.6 million cubic metres of silt by september-October and one million cubic metres of sandtrap in December-January every year. 'Dredge IX being a good dredger should be able to complete the job within the stipulated time', the sources observe.

Meanwhile, another DCI dredger, Aquarius, has been deployed by DCI for undertaking capital dredging in the port. ' We're not very happy with the performance of Aquarius and has discussed the matter with DCI which has promised to look into the matter', the sources add.