Mangalore: Mud Dumping in River by MSEZ - HC Orders Status Quo on Project
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, May 28: The high court of Karnataka has ordered status quo on MSEZ road-cum-corridor project over the alleged dumping of mud into Phalguni river by MSEZ, said social activist Natesh Ullal at a press meet here on Monday May 28.
A high court bench headed by chief justice Vikramjit Sen ordered that status quo on the project would be maintained until further notice. Natesh also said that this matter was brought to the notice of the concerned and that the order copy is yet to reach them.
In a public interest litigation filed in the high court in April, it was mentioned that the ecology of the river was at peril after illegal dumping of mud into the Phalguni River. The status quo order is applicable alongside KISCO and KIUCL land.
Natesh said that as those who support SEZ claiming that employment is generated should answer as to how many local youths have been employed. "Any such want of industries should be decided at the panchayat level and not in metropolitan cities, as people over there are not aware of the ecology of the region. Setups like petrochemical industries which are detrimental to the nature need not come here, when only ‘soft’ industries are heading towards the state capital. People should raise voice against Mangalore being considered as ‘dust bin’ for harmfull industries."
Vidya Dinker of Citizens' Forum for Mangalore Development said that the work of dumping mud into the river continued even on May 24 at night and when residents of the area called police control number, there was no response.
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