Dakshina Kannada in-charge Minister V. Sunil Kumar on Monday said that he will strive to offer time-bound solutions to several vexing issues that industrialists at the Baikampady Industrial Area in Mangaluru have been facing for years.
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Problems will remain in the backburner unless immediate solutions are not found, he said while interacting with members of Kanara Industries Association here. He invited association leaders for an across-the-table meeting with senior government officials in Bengaluru for this purpose.
Association president Isaac Vas presented a memorandum to Mr. Kumar drawing his attention to several critical and pressing issues that were hampering industrial growth in the region.
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Mr. Kumar said that he will immediately direct the district administration to address the issue of artificial flooding in Baikampady Industrial Area during the monsoon after Mr. Vas said that industrialists have been suffering loss running into crores of rupees following the destruction of raw material and finished goods due to flooding.
The association demanded replacement of the nearly five-decade-old water supply lines in the industrial area, setting up of common effluent and sewage treatment plants in Baikampady, laying underground power lines and a centralised Mangalore Electricity Supply Company service station.
On property tax, the association told the Minister that the solid waste management cess levied by Mangaluru City Corporation is three times higher than other similarly-situated cities, including Mysuru and Hubballi. At least 30% of property tax paid by industries should be routed back to the association for development and maintenance, it demanded.
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Stating that industrialists are nation-builders, Mr. Kumar assured them of a level playing field for industries. He also assured them of looking into exorbitant fixed charges on low tension power consumers that MESCOM is levying after LT was enhanced from 66 HP to 200 HP. Benefits given to industries in one way should not be snatched away in another way, he remarked.
With no space left for capacity enhancement of Baikampady power substation, Mr. Kumar said that he will ask New Mangalore Port Trust to provide space for erection of another substation. He asked MESCOM officials to take up the matter immediately with NMPT.
Association vice-president Ananthesh Prabhu, honorary secretary Athmika Amin, treasurer Suresh Karkera and others were present.