MCC supplying contaminated water, alleges Palemar; presents lab test reports

MCC supplying contaminated water, alleges Palemar; presents lab test reports

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 5, 2017: Former minister Krishna J Palemar  has alleged that the Mangaluru City Corporation has failed to supply  safe drinking water to various parts of the city. “The MCC was giving poison to the people in the form of contaminated water,” he complained.  To justify  his claims Palemar even  produced lab test reports of water samples from as many as 27 places in the city limits of  which  many  samples revealed high counts of  Coliform Bacteria and Feacal Coliform.

Speaking to reporters here on January 5, Thursday, Palemar said it was shocking that the MCC has failed to safeguard the health of the people by ensuring that the drinking water supplied to them is safe. Stating that though it was the duty and responsibility of the MCC to regularly test the water supplied to the residents, Palemar said  he had got the water tested at his own expense. Coliform bacteria are unlikely to cause illness. However, their presence in drinking water indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water system, said Palemar.

Giving an instance, he said the lab test of the water sample collected from  Government Hospital Suratkal revealed a  staggering  Coliform count of 1600  while  the feacal Coliform  count was 900.

The water sample test from Katipalla masjid has found a Coliform bacteria count of 348 and feacal Coliform  count of 40, Palemar said.  Giving other details, Palemar said the water sample test from Chilimbi revealed total Coliform count of 25 and feacal Coliform count of 21, while  the Coliform  count and feacal coliform count  of water samples from Bondel was 40 and 34 respectively.

He said water samples from 26 places including Bala, Ganeshapura, Katipalla, Krishnapura,  Suratkal  Chilimbi, Suratkal, Kunjathbail, Wenlock, Ladygoschen, Bondel and Kulur were given for testing on December 31, 2016, while the results were received on January 2, 2017. The lab test reports revealed no Feacal Coliform counts in the water samples from Wenlock, DC office, Ladygoschen, Bejai and Mannagudda, Palemar said.

On  the  reason why he opted for this water sample lab test, Palemar said a   test of the water sample from the hostel of the Vikas College   owned by him, in August 2016 had revealed a total Coliform count of 1100 and feacal coliform count of 1100, making him decide to get the tests done at other places.

The Total  Coliform count should be less than 10 per 100 ml while Faecal coliform count should be nil or less than 3 per 100 ml as per the  standards, he informed.

Palemar even said that when he was the MLA   and when there was  the BJP rule in the MCC, he had got the water test done in all the wards and that no Coliform content was found in the same. He also stated that he had documents to prove the same.

He also assured that water tests would be done regularly if the BJP  is brought to power  and urged the MCC administration to conduct a probe into the contaminated water issue and also initiate action against the guilty.

Alleging that there has been no development under the Congress rule in the MCC, he also mentioned about sand smuggling and complained that unlawful activities were going on unabated.

‘Withdraw complaint against Nalin’ : Referring to the controversy over the fire remarks made by Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Palemar said   there has  been no action against leaders like Owaisi who had made much more inflammatory statements. “Nalin’s statement has been exaggerated,” Palemar said and demanded immediate withdrawal of the case registered against him.

Party leaders Bharath Shetty and Shaan were present.