Phalguni mud dumping issue – Villagers rise in protest again

Phalguni mud dumping issue – Villagers rise in protest again

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 24, 2012 :  The people of Athrebailu and Melukoppala near Kuloor organized a protest meeting in front of the DC’s office on May 23, Wednesday to condemn the carelessness of the district administration about the mud dumped into River Phalguni by the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) Limited.

 

 

Some protestors lay on the ground and covered themselves with white sheets to convey the message that they are as good as dead if the authorities concerned take no action against the dumping of mud into River Phalguni, which might cause artificial flooding during the monsoons and destroy their homes.

Some of them shouted slogans against DC N. S. Chennappa Gowda and accused him of being an MSEZ agent.

In his protest address, DYFI leader Muneer Katipalla said that the district administration and the police are supporters of the MSEZ. He also said that the DC has proved to be an MSEZ chamcha by permitting the company to continue with its pipeline project with full police security. He warned that the protestors are willing to go to jail in their fight for justice.

He also said that MSEZ has not yet compensated the labourers who died when an MSEZ-owned vehicle, which was taking them to the work site, met with an accident. Stating that the MSEZ is a company that can spend lakhs of rupees on bribes and advertisements, but cannot compensate poor people, he said that this proves that the company is inhuman.

After the protest, a group of villagers met the DC in his office and wanted to know how the MSEZ is allowed to continue its project with police protection. The DC replied that the MSEZ is working according to CRZ guidelines. When the villagers retorted that the project clearly violates CRZ norms, the DC responded that the matter is now in court and that he will respond if the court directs him to. He also said that he is yet to receive a report from the ministry of forests, which will clearly state if the MSEZ project will cause any environmental imbalance. When the villagers said that the DC had never visited their homes near the river, he assured them that he will definitely visit them.

Meanwhile, a group of villages, including some senior citizens, complained that the police did not allow them to speak to the DC. They also accused police officers of manhandling them in the corridor outside the DC’s office.