Kateel threatens to get water supply to MRPL disconnected

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Wednesday threatened to get water supply to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) from the Netravati disconnected if the company fails to pay Rs. 1.02 crore to the State Government.

The Government had spent Rs. 1.02 crore to lay 2.73-km road between Thokur railway gate and Kana. This road had now become part of MRPL's property and was not accessible to the public.

At the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meeting, convened to review the progress of Centrally-sponsored rural development projects in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kateel said the road was laid under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Mr. Kateel reminded the Executive Engineer of the PMGSY, Dakshina Kannada, that in the committee's meeting held on January 20, 2010 he had instructed the department concerned to recover the amount from MRPL. He wanted to know why no action had been taken in this regard. To this, the official said that he had taken charge only a few days ago.

The MP said that MRPL could be given the option of developing another rural road in lieu of the road which was now part of its property. It should either reimburse the amount or develop a new rural road, Mr. Kateel said. If not, water supply to the company should be cut, he said. Mr. Kateel said he would discuss with the authorities concerned the issue of getting water supply to MRPL disconnected.

Repairs

The MP said that the engineering division of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat had failed to carry out works such as repairing public properties damaged owing to rain in Puttur taluk utilising the calamity relief fund since 2007-08.

Additional Deputy Commissioner S.A. Prabhakara Sharma said that such works should had be completed within 45 days. Mr. Kateel said that engineers had not prepared work estimates for some such works.