Inclusion of ’samiti representatives’ in panel demanded

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, Sep 6, 2015:  Members of the Jokatte pachayat on Sept 5,  urged DK DC A.B. Ibrahim to include Muneer Katipalla and B.S. Hussain of Jokatte Nagarika Horata Samiti in the committee  inquiring into the alleged pollution by Coke and Sulphur units of  MRPL - Mangaluru Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd.

At  the first meeting of the newly constituted committee held a day after residents’ protest at Jokatte, member of Jokatte panchayat Mohiuddin Sharief, insisted on inclusion of  Muneer Katipalla and B S Hussain in the committee.

The two,  had been in the forefront of the agitation against alleged pollution by the two units and they deserve to be part of the committee. DC Ibrahim reportedly expressed reservation over expansion of the committee.

Supporting  Sharief’s plea, Health Minister U.T. Khader, Minister of State for Youth Services, Sports K. Abhayachandra Jain and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel asked  DC  Ibrahim to expand the committee and include the samiti members. MP  Kateel said, nothing prevented Deputy Commissioner from including  Muneer Katipalla and B S  Hussain in the committee investigating problems of Jokatte residents.

They asked Deputy Commissioner to call another meeting of the reconstituted committee on September 24.

 Sharief said Jokatte residents couldn’t allow the coke and sulphur recovery units of the MRPL function, as it was causing health problems to many people. Residents could not allow any work on the corridor road of the MSEZ, till action was taken for moving the two units.

When DC Ibrahim said, the road work could not be stopped, Panchayat member Sharief questioned how the two units could operate without licence of the Karnataka Pollution Control Board.

DC  Ibrahim asked Panchayat member  Sharief and two other members of the Jokatte panchayat not to raise any obstruction for the road work and the committee would hear all their grievances. MRPL Managing Director H. Kumar and representatives from the Karnataka Pollution Control Board too participated.