Aeration exercise undertaken

The exercise is aimed at increasing oxygen level and loosen the sludge sediments

Workers engaged in aeration exercise to induce oxygen and bring out sledge sediments downstream of the Malavoor vented dam off Mangaluru on Thursday.

The district administration under the supervision of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) undertook aeration exercise in the stagnant water downstream of Malavoor vented dam across the Phalguni (Gurupura) on Thursday.

The exercise aims to increase oxygen levels, which had reached zero level and also to loosen the sludge sediments of waste accumulated at the bottom of the river.

KSPCB’s Environment Officer Rajashekar Puranik, who was supervising the exercise, told the

The Hindu that the district administration had asked Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (DKMUL) and the Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCF) to undertake aeration exercise to increase dissolved oxygen level in the water.

While one air-compressor fitted to a tractor was being used in the morning to blow air to the subsurface, four more such units would have to be deployed even on Friday as the area is vast, Mr. Puranik said.

As the air was blown to the subsurface of the river, thick black sediments came out bringing up all kinds of waste thrown into the river, including plastic and other material.

Mr. Puranik said that expected fresh water flow into the river with the onset of Monsoon is expected to flush out the sediments further down towards the sea.