Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 12: The industrial units from the city, which had been closed for want of water supply, are now preparing to become operational again.

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) has been preparing to make both its plants to begin functioning. The officials said that the company can start these plants only after the water supply resumes the normal level.

MRPL gets water from River Netravati through the pumping centre at Sarapadi. As water level in the dam slumped early this year, the company had shut down its third phase during the last week of April and first unit during May second week.

As the plants that were shut down are huge and complicated, they will need about a week's time to reach normalcy. The units cannot begin production till water supply is adequate. The officials are hopeful that it will not take long as rainy season is round the corner.

Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers began the process of restarting its plant two days back. It expects to begin urea production from June 12. MCF had been shut down for the second time in the year as the city corporation which had cut down water supply to the industry drastically over several months, had totally stopped water supply from May 14 onward. The unit was shut down for about 25 days.