Mangaluru, Mar 4: DYFI district president Muneer Katipalla said that the residents of the areas affected by the severe pollution levels caused due to the coke and sulphur units of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) located north of the Mangaluru city had filed a police complaint few days ago against the negligence and nuisance caused by the company.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, he said that under the banner of Nagarika Horata Samiti, Jokatte, residents of Jokatte, Thokur, Kalavar, Bala, Kenjar and surrounding areas had filed a complaint at Panambur police station alleging negligence and nuisance to local residents caused by the coke and sulphur units at MRPL Phase III plant. Even after several protests by the local residents, MRPL should have taken cognizance of their problems and taken measures to reduce the pollution levels. However, since they continuously maintain that their coke-sulphur units are not responsible for causing any pollution in the area, a complaint was lodged against the public-sector company, he said.
He informed that the residents’ complaint had been taken cognizance by the police department and a notice had been issued to the company’s general manager to submit the authorisation letter by the government to initiate the coke-sulphur units along with other documents in relevance with the pollution and health hazards such consent letters and no objection documents by the concerned pollution control board.
Although the environmental officer of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Mangaluru had conducted inspection of the surrounding areas and taken samples of the contaminated water sources three weeks ago, no report has been submitted either to the complainants or the company so far. Even the environmental officers have acknowledged the presence of contaminants in the water sources and increasing health problems in local residents, he said.
Mr Katipalla informed that copies of the police complaint would be sent to the Prime Minister, chief minister of Karnataka, home minister, forest and environment minister Ramanath Rai, health minister U T Khader, fisheries minister Abhayachandra Jain and Mangaluru Commissioner of Police. This is a case of attempt to massacre the local residents, he alleged.
Convenor of Nagarika Horata Samiti B S Hussain Jokatte said that along with the thick dust coating the air in the localities, the residents also had to deal with an intense foul smell and continuous noise pollution emanating from the coke and sulphur units. The conveyor belt used by the company to load and unload the coke is approximately 60 metres high, and these coke particles get carried to our immediate surroundings with the wind. Installing a wind-resistant sheet is not a scientific solution to the problem, he said, adding that the sulphur unit had also been operating in the open which posed a severe threat to the local residents in the surrounding areas.
Mr Katipalla further alleged that the relevant pollution control board was not functioning sincerely as the board had neither given notices nor taken action against any major companies in the district found violating the environmental norms.
He informed that the school children from the areas affected by the coke and sulphur units would stage a demonstration in front of the MRPL gate on March 10 against the pollution caused by them. Moideen Sharief and Aboobaker Bava from Nagarika Horata Samiti and Santhosh Bajal from DYFI were present on the occasion.
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