The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has decided to form a committee comprising an expert, representatives of Mangalore Refinary and Petrochemicals Ltd. and the residents of Jokkatte to look into the problems caused by the pet coke and sulphur storage yard in MRPL phase III.
A decision to this effect was made at a meeting on May 5.
Members
The committee will be headed by G. Srinikethan, Professor, National Institute of Technology, Surathkal. The other members are Director (Refinery), MRPL; senior environment officer from KSPCB, a representative from the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner’s office and two representatives of the Nagarika Horata Samiti, which has been leading a protest. Environment Officer of KSPCB, Mangaluru, will be convener of the committee.
The residents of Jokatte and neighbouring areas had been holding protests demanding closure of the pet coke and sulphur storage yard citing the problems caused by the dust and smell.
The Environment Officer from the KSPCB inquired into the allegations and issued a show-cause notice to the MRPL for not adhering to norms for mitigation of noise, smell and fugitive emissions. In a meeting chaired by KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya, the MRPL officials gave a presentation of the steps taken at the coke and sulphur yard, including installation of a 300-ft high wind break fencing to mitigate dust flying, which, the officials said, had been hampered following the opposition from residents.
The board in its order dated June 4 asked MRPL to make arrangements including stoppage of production of sulphur lumps and instead store sulphur in palletized form in silows.
The committee headed by Mr. Srinikethan has been asked to identify and resolve the problem.
