MLC Ivan D’Souza blamed it on the lack of coordination between the State and Central government to resolve the issue of closing down Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF) Ltd. He asked the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to intervene and ensure that both the governments take up the issue seriously.

He was speaking after accepting felicitation offered to him by the KCCI for being elected as the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) at KCCI hall on Saturday.

“On behalf of the MCF, we have demanded the chief minister, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar and Union Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to urge the prime minister to resolve the issue by ensuring the supply of subsidies to Naphtha till the gas pipeline connectivity is obtained. The CM has agreed to meet the PM to discuss the issue. We will ensure that the MCF is not closed down at any cost,” he said.

On including Mangalore in the Central government’s Smart City project, Ivan D’Souza said that population as the criteria was causing a blockade in the process and blamed the State Urban Development department for not taking measures to add Moodushedde to Mangalore City Corporation. “We had submitted a representation two years ago to the State government requesting to include Moodushedde to MCC, but no initiative has been taken so far. And now they say that MCC lacks the population to be selected for Smart City project,” he said. The MLC also expressed helplessness to the suggestion of the Central government’s delegation that recently visited Mangalore to study on upgrading Mangalore Central railway station as world-class railway station. The Centre has directed to take up the work on PPP model by depending on private investors, but it is not as easy as it looks, he said.

KCCI President Nigam Vasani submitted a representation to the MLC on the occasion, with a list of demands including to help MCF to produce urea, start the functioning of EPIP, promote tourism by promoting Mangalore Dasara, introduce high speed rail link from Konaje to Manipal, declare a uniform holiday policy etc.