MCF resumes operations

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 08, 2015: The Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (MCF) the only fertilizer factory of the state, which was shut down , has  resume d operations since January 7, Wednesday. The plant which remained closed since the past three  months, is once again abuzz with activity.

 

It may be recalled here that over 2000 employees as well as  thousands of farmers had staged several protests  urging the government not to shut down the plant for any reason. Even the elected representatives from the district had drawn the attention of the government towards the issue.

The MCF had suspended operations following the  Union Government order  cancelling subsidy to naphtha with the intention of going in for gas   based  plants. This had led to suspension of MCF operations from September 30.

MCF now has all arrangements for gas based manufacture of fertilizers and has spent Rs 305 crores on the infrastructure. However the delay in land acquisition process  has  led to a delay in laying gas pipeline. As MCF cannot lay the pipelines on its own the state government has to take the initiative with Central aid. The pipeline has been laid from Dhabol to Chitradurga va Bengaluru  and the government has a proposal to extend it upto Mangaluru.

KN Sooryanarayana , President of MCF Mangala Labour Union who expressed happiness over MCF resuming operations hoped that the pipeline extension would be complete within three months as the government has now permitted MCF  to continue operations for three months.