'Clean Mangalore' within 6 months: Palemar

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday on completion of 3-year-term of the BJP government in the State, Palemar said the Pollution Control Board has done a lot of work towards Clean Mangalore.

Stating that door-to-door ‘waste collection’ too has been started in a few wards in City, he asked in a lighter vein: “Can you find any place in Mangalore like Kengeri (in Bangalore)?”

‘No illegal sand mining’

Stating that there was no illegal sand mining in the district, Palemar said strict action will be taken against those found extracting sand with the help of machines.

Clarifying that former deputy commissioner Subodh Yadav’s transfer has got nothing to do with the illegal sand mining, the Minister said it was a routine transfer.

“It was part of a general transfer,” he said.

On the other hand, the deputy commissioner (N S Channappa Gowda) who successfully implemented total ban on plastic in Kodagu has come to the district and the same (ban) may be implemented here, he said. However, he ruled out the possibility of stopping ‘Tiger operation’ to evict street vendors.

Runway extension

Speaking on the occasion, MLA and Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat said that he was hopeful of extending the runway to get the ‘international airport’ tag. “With the help from ‘friends’ in West Asia and ‘pressure’ from people’s representatives, it can be done,” he said and added that if it can be done in Calicut, why not in Mangalore.

On the other hand, he said if Kannur airports succeeds in getting the ‘international airport’ tag, then it will be difficult for Mangalore to get the same tag. To a query on Endosulfan victims, Bhat said that attempts would be made to identify the unidentified victims of Endosulfan. He also stressed the need to arrest the excess water flowing from the 13 rivers of the district to the sea during rainy season. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel was also present.