Plans afoot to hand over MCC’s STPs to MRPL for maintenance

Mangaluru: In the wake of complaints regarding the improper functioning of sewage treatment plants (STPs) of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), the govt is likely to consider handing over their maintenance to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).
MLC Ivan D'Souza told reporters on Monday that while the STP at Kavoor is being maintained well by the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), plans are on the anvil to hand over other plants in Pachanady, Bajal, and Surathkal, which are under MCC's maintenance, to the MRPL.
He said that a discussion had already been held with the officials of the MRPL. A final decision to hand over the STPs at Pachanady, Bajal, and Surathkal will be taken at a meeting to be convened by district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao in Bengaluru in the first week of Feb. MRPL is ready to maintain the STPs if the govt approves the proposal. It will be beneficial for them as they require a huge quantity of treated water for industrial purposes. MRPL has been depending on desalination plants for water, which is a very expensive process, the MLC said.
The meeting to be chaired by the district minister in Bengaluru will be attended by Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLCs, MLAs, mayor Manoj Kumar, senior corporators, and officials of the MRPL. The meeting will also discuss finding solutions to the drinking water issue in Mangaluru and take appropriate measures to enhance the capacity. Funds will be sought from the govt for the upgradation of STPs that are not functional, D'Souza said.
He also criticised the BJP administration in the MCC council for not responding to the demands of rectifying lacunae in STPs and wet wells that result in the pollution of rivers. Further, he also accused the city corporation of supplying untreated water to the city. He suggested the MCC to ensure that water undergoes complete treatment (sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination) at the water plant in Thumbe. All water treatment plants in the city should be regularly maintained and upgraded, he added.
In response to a query on CM Siddaramaiah failing to attend the multicultural festival organised by academies in Mangaluru on Jan 17, the MLC said that it was the govt's schedule that the district administration should have followed.