Stopping water to MCF will hit agri activities: Lobo

Mangaluru south MLA J R Lobo on Saturday said if water supply to industrial houses, especially Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited (MCF) is stopped, it will majorly impact the agriculture activities in the state.

Lobo was replying to a question on action taken to stop the water supplying to industrial houses — mainly MCF, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) and Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) — in the wake of drinking water crisis in the city.

He said stopping water to MCF will have a cascading  effect as it is the only fertiliser producing industry in the state. The production is closely monitored by the Union government to meet the demands of agrarian community, as the sowing activities will pick up and farmers will be in the need of fertilisers after rain. In this view, it will be absurd to stop supply of water to MCF, he felt.

Mayor Kavitha Sanil said MRPL and MSEZ have been categorically instructed not to draw water beyond 10 MGD from AMR Dam at Shamboor following her letter to the deputy commissioner on March 19.

When the reporters brought to Lobo’s notice that his predecessor and former MLA N Yogish Bhat has suspected a conspiracy behind drinking water crisis, Lobo said, “Many are under the misconception that water available at Thumbe Vented Dam is used only to meet the drinking water requirements of Mangaluru city.”

Lobo explained that water also flows towards the left bank, while it is the source of water for most of the borewells in the vicinity. Most of the multi-village drinking water projects in the district are dependent on the same water.

Moreover, water is pumped at two levels --- one at the river level and another at zero level. At times, due to lack of supply at pumping level, vacuum is created and silt is accumulated due to the velocity of pressure.

There is no need to worry about purity of water, as water is treated at tertiary level. Besides, the DC has told the officials at Bantwal to take measures to check sewage water being disgorged into river Netravathi, the main source of drinking water supply.

To a question on recent rain, Lobo said it may take some more time to see inflow of water as Thumbe Vented Dam is located at tertiary level after AMR Dam at Shamboor and another of Bhoruka power plant at Dandela.