Assocham has suggested relaxation of coastal restriction laws to facilitate introduction of hub ports to cater to transhipment traffic arriving from other Indian ports. The chamber also sought changes in existing cabotage laws in such a manner to permit transshipment traffic arriving from other Indian ports irrespective of the ownership of feeder vessel carrying the cargo. In a note submitted to the surface transport ministry, Assocham president K P Singh has demanded extension of port services on an integrated turnkey basis and forging of joint ventures with Container Corporation (Concor) for service between inland destinations and ports. The ministry of is currently contemplating changes to major port trusts act and the Indian Port Act based on the Babu Rajeev committee recommendations.

NEERI gives clean chit to NEERI

A survey conducted on analysis of water samples near Dabhol Power Project (DPP) has said ``there was no pollution orcontamination and all the physico-chemical parameters conform to drinking water standards''+. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) report said in its summary findings that ``waste water discharges from dpp are mainly of domestic origin and given adequate treatment before disposal'' It said industrial effluent mainly comprises cooling tower blowdown water and is devoid of any harmful chemicals or toxic compounds and is discharged into the sea through ocean outfall. Waste water treatment plants of adequate capacity have been provided at DPP for treating domestic discharge and regeneration of demineralisation plant effluent, it added.

Dahanu-Nashik rail link established

Union minister of state for railways Ram naik has said that the proposed Dahanu-Nashik rail link once completed will prove to be a boon for the tribals of the two districts of Thane and Nashik and would give a fillip to the economic development of the region. Inaugurating the survey work on Saturday, of theproposed broad-gauge rail line at predominantly tribal Jawhar Taluka of the district, through which the rail line is to pass, Naik said that the ``sun of development would rise for the tribals once the rail link is commissioned''. The work of the survey of the rail link between Dahanu road and Nashik road a distance of 125 kms started at the historical Jawhar Palace on Sunday.

Haryana shifts from `Highway to Destination' tourism

To promote tourism in the state, Haryana has switched on to `Destination tourism' platform from its earlier well-known `Highway Tourism' niche, in a bid to present its refurbished image in the nation's 'millennium year tourism celebrations'. Talking about the new approach being adopted to give a new face to tourism in the state, managing director, Haryana Tourism Development Corporation, Keshani Anand Arora said, ``The switching from `highway tourism' to `destination tourism' marks the shift in the approach being adopted by the Haryana government in the `Explore India year'of tourism. This is an endeavour to carve out a separate niche for ourselves in the burgeoning, competitive tourism market.''