People demand immediate removal of mud dumped into River Phalguni

People demand immediate removal of mud dumped into River Phalguni

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 3, 2012 : A huge group of 75 people of Kuloor, Athrebail, and Melukoppala picketed the MSEZ office in Ashoknagar on May 2 Wednesday demanding that the company should immediately remove the mud it has dumped into River Phalguni.

Speaking to reporters, one of the residents of Athrebail expressed her fear that the dumping of mud into the river might lead to artificial floods during the monsoons. She also stated that she has come out of her house to fight for a cause for the first time in her life.

The people, many of who were children and women, laid siege on the MSEZ office from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. At 4:00 p.m., the protestors held banners in front of the MUDA office, demanding to see the MD. When the MD refused to meet them, they went all the way to the fourth floor and laid siege to the MSEZ office.

Dinesh B. Shetty, the president of the Kuloor Melukoppala Athrebailu Nagarika Horata Samithi; Arun D’Souza, the secretary; Vidya Dinakar of the Citizens’ Forum for Mangalore Development; T. R. Bhat; Muneer Katipalla of DYFI; Dayananda Shetty; and all other protestors demanded that the mud dumped by MSEZ workers into the River Phalguni must be removed at the earliest.

Ramachandra B. Maledavar, the inspector of the Urwa Police Station; G. V. Subrahmanyam, the ACP; Muthuraya, the DCP; and many other police officers arrived at the venue and urged protestors to vacate the place. Radhakrishna Bhandarkar, the PRO for MSEZ, and Premananda Kini, the legal advisor, also tried their best to pacify the protestors.

The protestors alleged that the MSEZ has dumped mud into the river in violation of CRZ rules and stated that they will continue protesting till the MSEZ definitely states that it will remove the mud. They left the scene after shouting slogans for nearly 4 hours only after they were assured that the MD will meet them at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vidhya Dinaker has lodged a complaint with the Urwa Police, in which she stated that MSEZ MD Rajiv Banga is missing and the police as well as MSEZ officials are unable to locate him. She urged the police to find him at the earliest possible so that he can meet the protestors.