Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (SHS)
Mangaluru, Nov 13: Residents of Jokatte turned out on Thursday in good numbers at HPCL entrance to agitate against the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), following oil spillage due to a mechanical failure of a level transmittor in the oily water sewer.
The locals under the banner of Jokatte Nagarika Horata Samiti staged a protest, blocking a stream connecting to MRPL by placing many sacks of soil. However, the protesters turned wild for some time when senior manager administration Y D Salian rushed to the spot to pacify the protests claiming it was mechanical failure that caused oil spillage.
The protesters led by DYFI state president Muneer Katipalla alleged that MRPL has been releasing waste willfully through the stream and fortunately the locals witnessed it on Wednesday, November 12. The protesters told that Lakshmi M Kumaran's clarification was a blatant lie.
The protesters symbolically blocked the stream connecting the lake and MRPL unit by keeping sacks filled with mud and raised slogans against MRPL. Katipalla said that if the authorities of the company do not take measures to stop the willful release of waste through the stream, the residents would intensify the protests.
Co-convener of Jokatte Nagarika Horata Samiti B H Moideen Sharief showing contaminated water stored in a bottle expressed this was polluted water taken from the stream on Tuesday after MRPL left waste. He accused the authorities of depriving pure air and pure water for consumption which is a natural right of a human being.
Flock of women protested along with the men told that their wells were polluted. They cursed the MRPL for disrupting the lives. Babi, one of the women protesters told bad smell emanating from the units was unbearable and due to this she couldn't breathe fresh air. She held Coke and Sulphur units responsible for the trauma the villagers were facing.
They get pure water from Sarapady before we get it from Thumbay!!!
Our Dakshina Kannada people have been tolerant and so-called industries are polluting. The classic example being UPCL near Mudarangadi and the surrounding villages have already been polluted to the extent where banana plantains and agriculture yield have gone down but the protest have fallen on deaf ears. Had it been any other state, there would have been severe protests and violence and the project would have shelved off. I reside very close to UPCL and I invite environmentalists and other nature lovers to visit and judge the extent of damage. When world is moving forward, we are moving backward to going for Thermal power plants which is outdated in most countries. Why cannot we tap more solar power and wind energy as alternate source? Is it because it is natural and you do not get bribe money? This Lanco group is a loss making firm and recently has been bought by Adani group.
where is our parisara & arogya ministers.
just supply the same waters to them then(MRPL water tank) all problems will be resolved automatically.
where is our DC.
We support our brothers in Jokatte, pls try to remove these companies which playing against the residents of jokatte.
a justifiable move by local of jokatte and led dyfi.it is not only concern of jokatte residnents but of all south kanara peaople. i still remember few years back ,the fishing community from ullal to kundapur agitated against mrpl that its waste should not be directed to sea but that agitation fizzled out because of some political leaders and their understanding with the management of mrpl. today mrpl is saying that due mechanical fault, but it is untrue and eyewash.
Welldone Guys! Agitation is only solution in our democracy! For every sickness main cause is contaminated water and polluted air these companies leaving their chemical waste to the rives and lake. What our so called elected MLA/MP of particular constituency are doing??? why they are silent???
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