Maravoor residents up in arms, inaction of authorities

Maravoor residents up in arms, inaction of authorities

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 19,2017: Dead fish are floating in Gurupur river and the water body and marine life is affected.Fisherman have stressed it is something unusual that a river that once provided daily bread has turned poisonous.

Even several days after the water at Maravoor dam constructed near Bajpe turned black, with foul stench from dead fish etc... DK district administration and authorities concerned have not woken up to identify the problem and rectify it.

Residents of the area alleged loudly  that untreated water and chemical effluents let out from industries situated closed to the river are the cause for the problem. "Last  week, the water on the other side of the river near Kuloor bridge was little reddish and it turned completely black three days ago, a large number of dead fish are afloat there," said one living  in Padushedde Kudupu, not far Maravoor.

It is seen that local fish varieties like cavage, payya, kane, snake fish, prawns and crabs floating on the river. The foul smell coming out of the water is strong.  The residents have complained to Moodushedde panchayat head but nothing has been done so far.


People who stay close to the river in Jokatte and Kenjar on the other side of Maravoor dam have been worst affected. Along with foul smell from the river, they also fear that their water sources are beyond use due to the contamination. From the past one week, an oily substance floating on the water whenever boiled is seen.  Also, the rice cooked in the morning cannot be used in the evening as it becomes fomented and smelly,  say a nurse and homemaker, of the area.

During high tide, the contaminated water enters the nearby wells. There are about 300-400 villagers affected by this river water pollution. They allege that factories situated in Thokur and close to Kenjar have been discharging their waste and other effluents into the river.  National Environment Care Federation (NECF), an NGO, alleged that due to the poisoning of the water even several plants on the islands have died and are posing a threat to Kandla forest or mangroves. H Shashidhar Shetty, general secretary, warned that the NGO along with the villagers will hold ore protests if the district administration fails to address the issue soon.