Citizen's Forum for Mangalore Development on Wednesday demanded that dumping of mud into the Phalguni river by Mangalore Special Economic Zone Limited (MSEZL) at Kuloor be stopped immediately.
In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, the forum sought steps for “restoration of the disturbed riverine ecosystem”.
It said the company had been dumping mud into the river along the KIOCL-Jokatte railway gate road for the past two months to widen the road. Residents of Melakoppala and Athrebail areas on the opposite banks of the river feared that dumping of mud would cause unnatural flooding of the river during monsoon and had demanded that the company stop that work.
The letter urged the Deputy Commissioner to intervene in the matter as he was the chairperson of the District Coastal Zone Management Authority and resolve the grievances of the residents of Melakoppala and Athrebail areas.
Arun D'Souza of Athrebail told The Hindu that even on Wednesday, the residents went to the site where the company was carrying out work and got it stopped.
