Mangaluru :  Mayor Kavitha Sanil reiterated that industrial effluents have contaminated the Phalguni (Gurupura) water downstream of the Malavoor vented dam, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Wednesday resolved to constitute a House committee to recommend suitable action.

The monthly meeting of MCC witnessed heated discussions and debates over contamination of the river water and the consequent death of aqua fauna as well as a few domestic animals.

Raising the issue, councillor Dayanand Shetty said that there were reports that sewage from the city was entering the Phalguni.

But Ms. Sanil said that her spot inspection, a fortnight ago of sewage treatment plants as well as the Phalguni, revealed no sewage was flowing into the river.

The water was contaminated by industrial effluents, which was confirmed by experts from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, the Mayor claimed.

Ms. Sanil said the committee will examine the matter in detail and recommend actions, including cutting off water supply to erring industries. She will also raise the issue at a State-level environment committee meeting.

Meanwhile, many members expressed their concern over sewage from the underground drainage system joining storm-water drains and polluting open wells. Councillor Sudhir Shetty alleged that sewage was overflowing on roads at Mulihithlu and Bajal. The functioning of all five wet wells in the city had been paralysed, he said.

Another councillor Surendra said that sewage from Jeppinamogaru area is flowing in storm-water drains.

Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer admitted that wet wells were not functioning properly and hence the corporation got diesel generator sets installed at Kongur Mutt and Pachchanadi.

The former Mayor Mahabala Marla was curious as to how could the system built under KUDCEMP funded by ADB become defunct.

Government Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Ivan D’Souza demanded that the shortfall in KUDCEMP works should be investigated as sewage was flowing into open drains and tanks in the city.

He would raise the issue in the Legislative Council too, Mr. D’Souza added.