Mangalore : MLC Ivan D’Souza said that the naphtha-based urea manufacturing unit of MCF Ltd at Panambur near Mangalore was the sole operating unit in the state hence, the state and central government must allow continue the functioning till it ensured piped gas connectivity.

Speaking at the press meet held on September 13, Saturday MLC said that after the government introduced a policy for manufacturing units to shift from costlier naphtha feedstock to cheaper natural gas, the unit in Mangalore has reached to at the point of shutting down.

He also said that, Government has given deadline of September 31 to few manufacturing units to comply with the policy guidelines. But MCF manufacturing unit has failed to comply with the guidelines even after the company had converted its plant to natural gas due to non-availability of gas supply.

MLC said that, farmers and agriculture would be severely be effected if the sole manufacturing urea unit in the state close down. The state and union government must allow the manufacturing of urea to continue with naphtha as feedstock till it secures a pipe connection of natural gas. In this regard, a delegation of elected representative led by district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai had visited Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he added.

D’Souza also urged the Union ministers from the state to take a delegation of minister to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi within September 20 and urged to retain the unit in the interest of the company and farmers.