Phalguni River bank being fenced to prevent dumping of debris and encroachment

Mangaluru City Corporation also to plant tree saplings along the 3 km stretch from Kulur to Bangrakulur

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) along with the district administration has undertaken a fencing-cum-tree sapling plantation project along the southern bank of Phalguni (Gurupura) River from Kulur bridge to Bangrakulur to prevent dumping of debris and encroachment

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) along with the district administration has undertaken a fencing-cum-tree sapling plantation project along the southern bank of Phalguni (Gurupura) River from Kulur bridge to Bangrakulur to prevent dumping of debris and encroachment.

The Hindu had in these columns written about rampant encroachment of the river bank for more than a couple of acres, particularly at Kodikal-River Festival Road junction. While builders allegedly dumped debris on a vacant land that once housed RTO driving test track along NH 66 at Bangrakulur, a few local residents with vested interests allegedly transported debris and dumped into Phalguni to reclaim riverbed. Building and plastic waste and other waste thus were getting into the aqua system thereby threatening the coastal ecology as well.

When The Hindu visited Bangrakulur on November 28, a local resident said MCC undertook fencing project after Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra visited the spot recently and issued necessary directions. Dr. Rajendra had told The Hindu that the administration was tied up in COVID-19 management and could not give immediate attention towards river bank encroachment. Every step would be taken to protect the ecosystem in the region, he had said.

MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar told The Hindu on November 28 that the project involves fencing of about 3 km stretch of Phalguni bank right from Kulur Bridge on NH 66 till the end point—Dambel Riverside. The river bank was being cleaned using earth movers and concrete poles for fence were being erected at present. Trenches too were dug for planting of tree saplings, he said.

The Corporation in association with the forest department would plant about 3,200 saplings along the riverbank shortly. Once the planting was completed, the fencing work would be done, he said. These measures, Mr. Sridhar hoped, should prevent further dumping of debris and growth of natural vegetation. In fact, large tracts of Kandla (Mangrove) plants along the bank had been destroyed following the encroachment.

Asked whether the debris could be cleared by churning them during the Monsoon, Mr. Sridhar said the volumes were huge and were up to 12 ft deep at some places. Moreover, they also contain plastic waste and letting it into the aqua system was not advisable.