Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 17: The state high court had issued warning to the city corporation here about smart city works in the city, handling of garbage dump at Pachanady and effluents from Pachanady getting mixed with River Phalguni. However, this does not seem to have made any impact on the concerned.

Encroachment of Phalguni riverbank and disposal of construction and plastic waste on the riverbank in Kulur and Bangrakulur have been choking the river.

River Phalguni and Netravati are the sources of drinking water for the city. These two rivers join the sea at Bengre estuary. Phalguni river has backwater from Bengre till Maravoor but the river has been the victim of encroachment and misuse. Loads of waste, rocks and soil are being brought and dumped in the rivers at Kulur and Bangrakulur. Due to this dumpling, the river has been encroached to the extent of several acres. Mud and waste have been dumped here in violation of CRZ rules.

Garbage water mixing with Phalguni river (file photo)

The riverbank of Phalguni has become a dumpyard. The area which had earned good reputation due to the river festival that was held here, has now been occupied by huge piles of rocks and soil. The environmentalists had complained to the administration about this problem but no action has been taken so far.

Deputy commissioner of the district, Dr Rajendra K V, said that drone survey would be undertaken to assess encroachment of river and within 15 days, list of the people dumping waste there will be prepared at the entry point and action will be taken. City corporation commissioner Akshy Sridhar, said that clearance operation had earlier been undertaken with the involvement of the revenue d department and a police complaint was also filed. He said that wherever encroachment has happened, clearance drives will be undertaken.

Environmentalists want the encroachment of main drains and pasture lands to be cleared as per orders of the Supreme Court and the high court as the high court has censured the administration twice. They feel that if the encroachments are not stopped, the problem of low lying areas getting inundated even for small amounts of rainfall will get aggravated.