October 4: Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Committee (NITDB) has demanded an explanation from Pristine Valley Dry Port Private Limited for operating the Birgunj Dry Port against the agreement.

Director of NITDB Hemendra Mohan Shahi informed that Pristine Valley Dry Port has been asked to furnish clarification in this regard.

NITDB decided to seek clarification from the company after it was found that the importers were made to pay separate charges for terminal service charge (TSC) and the labor charge for the workers at the port.

During an on-site inspection, it was found that Pristine Valley had charged fees to the importers against the agreement signed with NITDB, claimed Director Shahi.

The contract agreement between the port regulatory body NITDB and Pristine clearly mentions that the port operator will not be allowed to charge any fee other than the TSC. However, Shahi informed that the service seekers from Boraband Cargo (BCN) had paid money to both the port operator and the loaders for unloading goods.

“It was found that the service seekers were forced to pay a separate amounts to the workers on top of the TSC. Importers don't have to pay anyone else after paying the charge fixed by the operator,” Shahi informed New Business Age.

General Secretary of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce Madhav Rajpal informed that the service seekers are forced to pay service charge to both the dry port operators as well as the labourers.

Meanwhile, Pristine Valley Pvt Ltd says that the problem has surfaced because the labourers and the labour suppliers do not have Permanent Account Numbers (PAN).

The company’s chief officer Aaditya Raya claimed that they have been charging only Rs 109 per metric tons from the service seekers although they can charge up to Rs 246 per metric ton of cargo according to the agreement.

“The workers who load and unload goods do not have PAN. Neither are they interested. So we have lowered the TSC to Rs 109. Therefore the service seekers pay the workers themselves,” added Raya.