Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 10: Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) having its facility here, has temporarily shut down its two units because of drinking water shortage.

For annual maintenance, functioning of the third unit was shut during April end. As water shortage has been creating further problems, the first unit suspended work on Thursday May 9.

Even though the first and third units have stopped functioning, the work of refining oil is now conducted by the second unit. This unit has been putting to use treated effluents coming from the city and by making use of other water sources. MRPL sources said that diesel and petrol production may not be hit very hard for the present, as the second unit is functioning.

MRPL has a dam at Sarapadi, Bantwal, from where the company used to get six MGD water every day. As the water flow fell, till April end, five MGD water was being supplied. As the dam has gone dry, water from this dam is not coming to the company now.

Managing director of MRPL, Vankatesh M, said that the functioning of the first unit was suspended because of drinking water shortage and that the third unit had been shut down for annual maintenance during April end. He said that second unit is continuing to refine oil by using the treated effluents of the city which will enable the second unit to operate till the first week of June. He said as rains are expected by first week of June, the company does not foresee any grave problem.