Mangalore: Dumping Yard Fire: Vamanjoor Residents Protest
 
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (RD/SP)
 
Mangalore, Jan 15 The residents of Vamanjoor  near here staged a protest on Wednesday January 14 morning, at the Mangala Jyoti junction, expressing their strong resentment against the delay in dousing  the fire that has been raging in  the dumping yard, located in their neighbourhood, since the last couple of weeks.
 
The protesters said that the fire at the dumping yard was first spotted at about 7.00 pm on Wednesday December 31.  The residents living nearby reported the news at once to the city fire brigade. The fire brigade personnel arrived with a water tanker,  tried the whole night to extinguish the fire but in vain as the fire continued to spread along  the entire area of the  dump on Thursday January 1 morning.  Meanwhile, the fire brigade truck was called back by the department officials, contending  that that it was the responsibility of the City Corporation to  take necessary measures to curb this large scale fire under its jurisdiction.
 
As the fire persisted, the local residents have been exposed to thick, smelly smoke and terrible stench apart from the risk of the fire extending its territory to neighbouring areas. Neermarga gram panchayat member Mequine Cordeiro informed Arogya Kavacha and SP Sateeshkumar about the problems faced by the villagers on Saturday January 10.  Fire Brigade authorities once again sent two service trucks along with personnel on Sunday January 11.  A memorandum by the residents was also presented to the deputy commissioner (DC) Ponnuraj, municipal commissioner Sameer Shukla and mayor Ganesh Hosabettu, seeking their assistance in curbing the fire that has threatened to cause air pollution to unbearable extent and inflict damage on both public and private properties.

Meanwhile, the protesters justified their action in launching a stir on Wednesday January 14, charging the City Corporation  authorities of not taking the issue with the seriousness it deserves.  The stir was called off after the municipal health officer Raghunat arrived at the venue today afternoon The protesters however, stuck to their demand that the municipal authorities should come and meet them at the spot of protest before relenting later.
 
The delegation then met DC Ponnuraj who assured to press additional fire brigade trucks into service with the help of  mega industries located in the city outskirts, in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading to the  entire dumping yard.
 
Nearly 250 protesters including Neermarga gram panchayat member Mequine Cordeiro, Roshni Nilaya Professor Rita Noronha, St Joseph's Engineering College director Fr Valerian D Souza, Vamanjoor St Joseph's the Worker parish priest Fr Gerald Monteiro and others were present.