Residents of Kulur staged dharana in front of DC office

Residents of Kulur staged dharana in front of DC office

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 28, 2012 : Residents of Athrebailu and Melakoppala in Kulur staged dharana in front of the Deputy Commissioner office on April 27, opposing the dumping of mud into the Phalguni river  along the KIOCL-Jokatte Railwaygate Road fearing it would cause flooding.

 

Following complaints and protests from local people, activists and organisations, the Coastal Regulatory Zone section of the Department of Environment had issued a notice to the company directing it to remove the mud it had dumped in the river. Raising slogans against the company on Friday for failing to remove mud “as specified by the CRZ officials”, residents of the area submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner asking him to take suitable action.

Arun D’Souza, a resident of the Athrebailu area, told that the company had been working with just one machine to remove the mud. He said only on a portion of the road, towards Kuloor bridge, the mud remained as it was.

When this correspondent visited the spot on April 26, the first 50-odd metres which had been levelled to make a road had been left untouched, but later portions of the reclaimed area of the river appeared to have been partially cleared of mud.

Mr. D’Souza said the company had merely shoved mud under the water in some parts so that it was not visible, and created a slope.

Assistant Director of the Coastal Regulatory Zone section of the Department of Ecology Mahesh Kumar told that the company had been told to remove mud which it had dumped in the river for 300 metres.

Responding why the notice issued to the company did not mention this condition, Mr. Kumar said: “We cannot say that in the notice, it is there in the map.” He said that for a particular stretch of 300 metres, the company had permission to build road on stilts, whereas along the rest of the KIOCL-Jokatte road, the company had dumped mud on the bank of the river and not the river itself.

Deputy General Manager (HR and R and R) of MSEZ S.T. Karkera said the company had been told to remove only a part of the mud and that it had not been directed to stop the work. He said that the CRZ officials had visited the spot and had given the company a clearance letter.