Mangalore: St Anthony’s Church now on the edge
Courtsey: Stanley G Pinto - Times of India, Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 26: The unseasonal rain which caused a mudslide from the hillock being cut by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for its Rs 170-crore Port Connectivity Road (PRC) project from Surathkal to B C Road, is posing a threat to the 128-year-old St Anthony’s Church at Kulur, as it is just 60-75 ft away from the edge.
Fr Jerald Pinto, parish priest of the church, says that if the rain continues, there is a fear of mud from the hillock sliding further. If so, the church will be precariously placed. NHAI started cutting the hillock in January this year. Fr Pinto says, “Though NHAI assured that they would finish the work before the onset of monsoon, work has been progressing at snail’s pace. The rain has come as a warning.’’
But NHAI project director Prashant Gawasane assures that there is no danger to the church as it is quite far from the hillock edge. “I, along with the consultants, visited the site and we are satisfied that it (church) is safe,’’ he added.
ON SHAKY GROUND: St Anthony’s Church at Kulur in Mangalore is at some risk, following a mudslide from the hillock on which it stands
Though the church authorities were sitting pretty till the beginning of March, banking on the assurance of NHAI authorities, the abrupt halt in the work made them approach deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao on March 20. They urged the DC to direct the NHAI to complete the work before the monsoon hits the coast.
Now that the situation has become alarming, the church has decided to lodge a complaint at the Kavoor police station against NHAI on Tuesday.
Fr Pinto says they don’t have any objection to NHAI cutting the hillock as it is government land. “We had a grotto and the statue of ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ on the edge. We have removed the statue. The grotto will also be removed soon. Our only concern is that the church structure should not be affected.’’
The parish has 575 families under its jurisdiction. There is also a high school and a higher primary school run by the church, which accommodates 1,200 children.
Regarding the delay, Gawasane said as the Mescom power lines had to be shifted, further cutting of the hillock could not be expedited.
“Also, we did not expect the rain at this time of the year and the resulting landslide has alarmed the church authorities. But rest assured, we will do the job as soon as the rain subsides and the ground is dry.’’
Gawasane said they cannot work on the hillock right now, as the soil is moist and may cause further sliding, if they cut the hillock. “We may have to face another landslide and put the lives of labourers and operators at risk, if we start work,’’ he noted. He said they would be carrying out inclined cutting and use stone pitching to stabilize the hillock, after the weather improves.