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Mangaluru: DK Disaster management review looks at vulnerable points


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 08, 2015: Speaking at the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) review meeting at the DC office,  DK DC  Adoor B Ibrahim called for joint efforts by all industries in the district to prepare  effective disaster orevention plans,  he said the recent problem in the water supply in the city is a lesson to learn from.

B IbrahimRestoring water supply took almost five days without proper disaster management plan. The city corporation could have convened a meeting of private firms like MRPL or MCF on the occasion. There was no maintenance of water pipelines at all he said and asked MRPL to lead from the front on all these issues.

About oil spill control MoU between NMPT and user industries, NMPT official poited out that to purchase the equipments for disaster management during oil spill there is a need for around Rs 8 crore. The government is ready to allot Rs 4 crore and MRPL, which is the major user of the port has to pay around Rs 3.5 crore. As the firm is not ready to pay it the MoU cannot proceed. The DC directed NMPT and MRPL to solve the issue at the earliest.

Factories, Boilers and Industrial Health Deputy Director K G Nanjappa informed that an on site emergency drill would be organized at Urea plant of MCF on August 20 and requested the representatives from industries to participate and come to a mutual agreement with other firms on safety. In next two months around 10 mock drills would be conducted, he said. Meanwhile, the MRPL representatives said the staff have attended all 13 drills of the department in the last two years.

The Deputy Commissioner expressed concern as many staff who work in petrol bunk or other firms don’t know how to operate fire extinguishers. K G Nanjappa opined that MRPL which has only foam tenders needs water tenders to face unexpected situations.

DK Superintendent of Police Dr S D Sharanappa said no oil pilferage incidents reported in 2014, but three attempts are reported in 2015.  He also expressed concern about Subrahmanya- Sakleshpur railway stretch which may face landslides and there are no road connections to the area, especially near Siribaagilu.  The railway official said that they would place metal nets to prevent landslides.

The MRPL official said they had written a letter to the Central government asking to declare the area as ’No Fly Zone’ and it was said that there is no such concept and permission can’t be granted. Later, MRPL Managing Director H Kumar agreed to write another letter to the Civil aviation ministry for ’prohibited area’ tag.    Additional DC Sadashiva Prabhu, MCC Commissioner (in-charge) Gokuldas Nayak, MCC Assistant Executive Engineer Naresh Shenoy, ZP Deputy Secretary Umesh were present among others.