Mangaluru : Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim has directed the Forest and the Survey departments to jointly survey the land between Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd.’s (MRPL) coke and sulphur units and the Jokatte area for creation of a buffer zone to prevent air pollution in the nearby residential areas.

At a meeting on Saturday, Mr. Ibrahim sought the cooperation of the residents and MRPL for the creation of the buffer zone where saplings would have to be planted.

This buffer zone alone would solve the problem faced by Jokatte residents because of the black ash and sound from MRPL, he said.

Mr. Ibrahim asked the representatives of the two departments to carry out the survey work by involving representatives of people from Jokatte.

He said that if need be, land could be acquired by paying compensation.

MRPL’s managing director H. Kumar said that structural and technological changes had been brought in to address the problem of pollution from the coke and sulphur units. Changes could be seen in the next two years.

He said planting of saplings were being done in 83 acres of MRPL area, he said.

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports K. Abhayachandra Jain and Mangaluru North MLA Mohiuddin Bava also attended the meeting.