By Shekar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network—Moodbidri (RD/CN) 

Moodbidri, Jun 18: The controversy of setting up of a garbage dump yard within the municipal limits here once again cropped up on Wednesday June 17.  

As per the deputy commissioner’s (DC) order, the garbage that is generated in the municipal area, has been collected and disposed-off by the contractor appointed by Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), who transports it to the yard located at Pacchanady, on the outskirts of Mangalore city.   

The local administration here proposed to set up a garbage dump yard at the picturesque Marinjagudde, in Karinje village, here, on survey number 233 of electorate ward 21.

Accordingly the earth movers had just moved in to Marinjagudde on Wednesday to begin leveling the earth.  The locals gathered to protest against this. The protesters led by Sri Muktanand Swami of Karinjeshwar Kshetra, Satish K Bhandary, Sitaram Shetty, Jayanand and Raviraj marched from KEB office to municipal office here and submitted a memorandum to the chief officer. 

The protesters allege that the proposed dump yard is threatening to cause irreversible damage to the eco-environment in their pristine surroundings.  

There are several century old worship centres including the historical Sri Karinjeshwar Temple as well as nearly 60 household families residing near the proposed garbage yard. The farming in the plains is beneficial with rich vegetation on Marinjagudde, reduces soil erosion, and has an abundance of water for irrigation and is a boon for agriculture.   

It may be recalled that the local administration had abandoned the proposed dump yards at Ontikatte and Alangar here in the past, following strong opposition from the residents. 

Meanwhile, the protesters vowed that they would not let municipal authority to set up a plant at Marinjagudde and that they would go to court for redressal.