Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 13: There have been allegations that the activity of mixing other things with bitumen is going on unhindered since many years in Suratkal Kana area. Many claim that local people's representatives and policemen are aware about this activity, which has a turnover of crores of rupees.

Similar activity was in progress in 2004-05 here, when western range inspector general of police, Satyanarayana Rao had raided the spot at night with the help of policemen from Karwar, seized several things used for this illegal activity, and arrested a number of people. He used the services of policemen from another district as he had information that some local policemen were lending support to this activity.

As in the past, several tankers carrying bitumen from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd directly reach a deserted spot in Kana at night. Gates here are opened and closed to allow movement of only these vehicles. These tankers return after sometime and head towards their original destinations, but locals say that during the short period the tankers are inside, bitumen is taken out and some mixing material of equal weight is added inside a shed covered with tin sheets. People feel that the quality of asphalting of the roads has been substandard of late because of this mixing business, and bitumen peels of within months, or gets washed away during rainy season.

It is being said that furnace oil is mixed with bitumen, after removing about 500 kg bitumen from each tanker. The bitumen so removed is sold to local contractors executing road repair work through pick-up trucks. It is also being claimed that even some big contractors buy bitumen from this spot, as it is cheaper.

In the recent past, similar activity was going on near Mannagundi in Nelyady within Uppinangady police station limits, and before policemen raided the spot after media carried reports about it, the concerned had fled from the spot along with equipment.