With the Panambur Police registering a complaint against Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) for air and water pollution, the Nagarika Horata Samithi, Jokatte, on Wednesday urged the government and people’s representatives to initiate strong measures to move out the coke and sulphur plants from their present location.
Samithi adviser Muneer Katipalla told presspersons here that the residents of Jokatte and adjoining 16 villages would settle for nothing less than shifting of the polluting units. Directions from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to erect 20 ft tall wind-breaking sheets and construct ponds to contain air and water pollution were a farce as they were of no use, he said.
Students in the schools of the region would picket the gates of coke and sulphur plants on March 10 at 3.30 p.m. protesting the continued air pollution, he said. MRPL does not hesitate to use brutal force against protestors as it had brought in gun-toting security personnel when the residents opposed erection of 15 ft tall net barricade around the coke plant. Only after the intervention of the local police did they retreat, he said.
Mr. Muneer said that though Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Sports K. Abhayachandra Jain had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in February to intervene in the matter and persuade the company to reduce pollution levels, the matter did not proceed further. Promises by local legislators — B.A. Mohiuddeen Bava and Ivan D’Souza — to raise the issue in the legislature session too did not materialise. Lok Sabha Member Nalin Kumar Kateel dreads to talk about MRPL, he regretted.
Samithi convener Hussain Jokatte said that the KSPCB team that visited the units on February 12 along with residents and MRPL Managing Director had noted severe pollution. The observations included a lot of fugitive emissions from loading area; spillage resulting in formation of dust and deposit of abundant black particulate matter on vegetation inside MRPL premises due to pet coke handling.
However, no action had been taken against MRPL, Mr. Hussain said. The company has denied pollution and has been maintaining that all the parameters were being monitored strictly.
Samithi laments apathy of government and legislators over the pollution problem
