Mangaluru : Zilla Panchayat members have alleged the MSEZ of not implementing rehabilitation policy appropriately and of causing nuisance to the families living near MSEZ area.

In a special meeting convened to discuss revenue matters at Zilla Panchayat hall on Wednesday, ZP Member Rithesh Shetty said that MSEZ has not fulfilled the necessities of PDF colonies as prescribed in the rehabilitation policy. The colony lacks anganawadi, public park, ground and other facilities even after several years of displacing the project affected families. In addition, a bund constructed on a stream that flows outside MSEZ has caused problem to about 150 acre agriculture land around the Special Economic Zone.

Due to rise in the water-level during rainy season, agriculture land was submerged, hampering the agriculture activities, he said.

He demanded the authorities to take action to remove the bund so that artificial flood is not created. Shetty also pointed at the damaged roads leading to MSEZ due to frequent movements of heavy machines on the roads. “When we contact MSEZ and MRPL requesting them to repair the road, they say that we have knocked the wrong door. When they have damaged the roads, they should take the responsibility to repair them,” he demanded.

ZP Vice President Sathish Kumpala complained about the mass death of fishes in a stream that passes through Malavoor due to industrial waste water flown to the stream.
Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner Ashok replied that the MSEZ has agreed to clear the bund constructed on the stream within three months.

ZP Member Eshwar Kateel complained of rampant illegal quarrying of laterite stone in 65 acre land at Arasulepadav village in Yekkar.

Despite the authorities concerned not issuing NOC for carrying out quarrying in the government land, illegal quarrying is taking place rampantly in the area.
In response, an official from mines and geology department said that quarrying is allowed in government land if the lessee pays royalty to the government. The department which took notice of the matter had raided the quarrying and collected a penalty of Rs 9.80 lakhs, he said.

However, his answer did not satisfy the ZP member who alleged that quarrying has continued to take place even after the raid.

Unlike in private land where quarry owners fence the area, the government land has remained open, inviting danger, he pointed.

When the issue of distributing government land for housing sites to the poor was raised in the meeting, Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said that 476 acre in the district has been handed over to the GPs.

Fifty per cent of the pending proposals to sanction the land will be cleared within one month and the remaining will be completed in different phases. Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Tulasi Maddineni was present.