Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 25: Acting on mounting public complaints over water stagnation and lake pollution, Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath visited Mahakalipadpu along with officials to assess issues linked to the railway underbridges (RUB) and the contamination of the historic Moilykere Lake.

Residents have raised concerns about waterlogging caused by the absence of a proper drainage system near the Mahakalipadpu RUBs, as well as sewage inflow polluting Moilykere, also known as Shettibettu Kere. Highlighting the matter recently, sections of the media drew attention to both the lake’s deteriorating water quality and the lack of underground drainage (UGD) connectivity for households in the area.

Kamath said that during the tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party government, Moilykere was fully developed by the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (Muda). “In recent times, there were numerous public complaints about the lake’s water being polluted due to drainage from other areas. I instructed officials to comprehensively plan all necessary measures to prevent drainage water from entering the lake in the future. For many years, there has been a need to construct a wet well for the proposed UGD in this area, and discussions are under way to acquire about 10 cents of adjacent private land for this purpose,” the MLA said.

He further pointed out that a wall constructed across the recently inaugurated Mahakalipadpu RUB has obstructed the natural flow of rainwater, resulting in water stagnation on the roadway. Stressing urgency, Kamath emphasised the immediate need to build a proper drainage system to prevent recurring flooding during rains.

Former deputy mayor Bhanumathi PS and former council member Shailesh Shetty brought several local grievances to the MLA’s notice during the inspection. “I instructed officials to take prompt action. Despite the lack of funding for development over the past 2.5 years, efforts will be made to address the constituency’s issues beyond limits,” Kamath added.

Environmental activists have maintained that providing UGD connections to households is the only lasting solution to prevent further contamination and restore the lake’s ecological balance. Girish K, convenor of the Shettibettu Kere Mattu Katte Samrakshana Vedike, said nearly 400 houses in Mahakalipadpu, Adarsh Nagar, Shettibettu and Jeppupatna still lack UGD connectivity.

Wider context

Moilykere, located at Jeppu in Mangaluru, was developed by Muda and later handed over to the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for maintenance. However, civic authorities have struggled to prevent sewage inflow from neighbouring localities.

Residents have been seeking UGD connections for nearly six years. According to activists, the MCC had initially indicated that UGD development would be undertaken alongside the Mahakalipadpu Railway Underbridge works, but the network has yet to materialise.

Former mayor Premanand Shetty had attributed the delay to technical challenges linked to the area’s topography. Since the UGD system operates on gravitational force, a wet well must be constructed in a low-lying area — a task complicated by the lack of a suitable site and resistance from residents concerned about odour from such facilities.

MCC officials have stated that the UGD project can proceed once appropriate land is identified and acquired. Until then, sewage inflow and inadequate drainage continue to pose a serious threat to the future of Moilykere Lake and the surrounding neighbourhoods.