Hyderabad: Want to earn left, right and centre to become filthy rich? Then, start a private port in Andhra Pradesh. It is the story of how things are happening in the State. Several private ports in the state are not willing to spend a rupee, or two per tonne of cargo, that comes to about Rs 1.5 crore per year, for deploying an effective security mechanism at these ports. But, on the other hand, the private ports in the state are skinning down even the Coast Guard vessels with hefty berthing charges, which scans the international waters along the state coastline spread in an extent of around 975 Kms.
This shocking revelation has come when the Inspector General of Coast Guard Regional Head Quarters at Chennai S P Sarma held a meeting with State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday at Vijayawada.

The official had made a presentation to the chief minister on the need to have an integrated on-shore and off-shore security mechanism without hurting the economic activities, and requested for co-operation from the state. It was during the meeting that the official vented out the woes of the Coast Guard facing with the private ports in the state. The official reportedly told to the chief minister that the private ports in the state are not showing any difference between commercial cargo ships and the Coast Guard vessels engaged in the national security, guarding coastline. Sharma further learnt to have added that unlike in other states in the country, the ports in the private sector in the state are literally skinning down with hefty berthing charges, and requested Naidu to do something about. Prior to this, the chief minister had showered praises the Coast Guard for its committed services rendered during Hud Hud cyclone, during natural calamities and finding missing fishermen and saving people from sea perils. But, when the official expressed his anguish over the way the private ports in the state are treating the Coast Guard, the red faced and visibly upset, Naidu has immediately assured the official, that the state government would take up the issue with the private port managements.