The council of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) in its meeting on Tuesday decided to constitute a committee to review whether White Grove Agri LLP, a mushroom factory, at Vamanjoor followed all conditions set by a technical committee constituted by the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada to stop the foul smell emanating from the factory.
The council decided to take a decision on a memorandum submitted to the civic body by Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty to do the needful to shift the factory to an industrial area or shut it down permanently as it is in residential area, based on the report of the committee to be constituted by the corporation.
The council decided to include scientific experts in addition to the senior councillors from the ruling and Opposition parties, NGO representatives and local representatives in the committee. Till then, the council decided, no decision on the memorandum should be taken.
Apparently former Congress MLA of Mangaluru City South who was also a former Commissioner of the MCC is a partner of the mushroom company.
Hemalatha Saliyan, councillor of Tiruvail ward in whose jurisdiction the factory is operational, said that foul smell emanating from the factory is unbearable and people have been demanding action against it to stop the foul smell. Since the factory is in residential area local people are agitated.
The Congress councillors led by the Leader of the Opposition Congress in the council T. Praveenchandra Alva argued against taking a decision on shifting the factory to an industrial area or permanently closing it down. They said that since the factory has now adopted latest technology available to mitigate the foul smell it should be given a chance to control the foul smell. Mr. Alva claimed that the factory is a source of livelihood for 200 families and it has curbed the foul smell up to an extent of 90%.
A.C. Vinayraj of the Congress said that the corporation/council has no legal power to take any action against the factory.
The MLA told the council that when he visited the area recently he could not stand there for even 15 minutes and developed the vomiting sensation. “The foul smell is causing mental stress and mental disturbance,” Dr. Shetty said.
The MLA said that since the corporation is the custodian of the area it should be double check whether the conditions set by the technical committee have been adhered to by the factory.
“There is a problem it should be addressed,” Dr. Shetty said adding that there is no political motive and he did not want to politicise it.
