Upping the ante against the coke and sulphur plants at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Limited Phase III, residents of Jokatte observed a half-day bandh on Wednesday.
From shutting the shutters of shops near the Jokatte railway station, the residents also took out a procession highlighting the “air, water and noise” pollution from the plants.
The protestors, under the banner of Jokatte Nagarika Horata Samiti, called off the strike at noon after the Jakatte Gram Panchayat said a meeting between the residents, the district administration and the refinery officials will be held on Sunday at 10 am.
Muneer Katipalla, State president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, warned of intensifying protests if the two plants were not closed. “The district administration and the State government have ignored our pleas and complaints so far. The residents have no choice but to protest,” he said.
Since the plant started operations earlier this year, the petrochemical company has maintained that the pollution levels were “well-within limits” and were being continuously monitored.
