Mangalore, March 16: The Ullal Town Municipal Council (UTMC) has been a mute spectator to the heaps of trash that surround the two helpless signboards displayed on the road near the Ullal beach by the erstwhile Ullal Town Panchayat, warning people not to dump waste on the 100-metre road stretch.
Although, the Town Panchayat has now transformed into Municipal Council, the UTMC is neither bothered to replace the boards (which are blurred and almost about to crumble), nor has it taken any effective measure to prevent the violation of law and stop the law breakers from dumping loads of construction wastes within a few metres away from high tide line.
The Coastal Regulatory Zone has banned dumping of construction waste within 500 meters.
Unfortunately, officials have already come to a conclusion that they cannot do much other than filing a complaint with the police!
BC Sadananda, the chief officer of UTMC, has admitted that the place where the waste is being dumped was within 500 metres from high tide line. It is too difficult to prevent people from dumping waste here as they do so during night, says Sadananda.
“We have filed complaints with the police. Some people have also suggested engaging personnel to watch the dumping activity and take action. But the Council is yet to decide on it” Sadanada said.
Nagappa, an elderly fisherman, who lives near the site, says that dumping of waste has been continuing unabated for several years.
Umavathi, a representative of the Meenugara Mahila Hitarakshana Samiti, said a majority of the construction waste that was dumped was from neighbouring areas. The dumping of waste had caused problems, including defacing of the road. “The only relief is that kitchen waste from houses is not dumped here. If dumped, the municipality regularly clears it,” she said.
Sadananda said the construction waste came from neighbouring places such as Someshwara and Kotekar which do not have dumping yards. “We also do not have places where the dumped material can be moved,” he said.
Rohini, a fisherwoman, complained about the hazards faced because of the discharge of effluents from some of the fishmeal and fish oil industries located off the beach. “You cannot stand even for a minute at this spot. Those engaged in drying fish on the beach are more prone to infections,” she said.
Sadananada said work was on to construct three effluent treatment plants near the industries which would be functional in six months. “The industries then have to pass the effluents through the plants,” he said.
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