Bantwal: The sudden showers which lashed the coastal district on Friday, April 7 brought to fore the ugly side of River Nethravathi pollution.
Several complaints on river pollution had fallen on the deaf years of the authorities in the past but none had bothered to take action. However, the flash showers on Friday exposed the lacunae in controlling river pollution, thread bare.
Temple priests shun Nethravathi water and run for cover
The priests at the historic Sri Tirumala Venkataramana temple have been using river Nethravathi water for performing religious rituals over the years in the morning. They take bath and carry the water to the temple from the river for the daily Puja. The priests who noticed all kinds of waste floating in the muddy river water shunned it for the first time ever. They, instead use the water from the nearby temple well.
Some residents consider River banks as 24/7 waste disposal bins
For some time now, people have been throwing waste of all kinds including plastic bottles, polythene bags on the Nethravathi river banks near the minor bridge at Badakkate. The incessant rains on Friday, set the waste bags filled with plastic material and other solid waste in motion and the scenario really looked ugly in the eyes of the cameraman and those who paid a visit to the river to see the damage caused by pollutants.
Officials open their eyes!
TMC chief executive officer Devadas Shetty rushed to the spot to see the damage and informed Engineer Dominic D’Mello to initiate action. Accompanied by another officer Sudhakar, a team of officials were in for a real shock looking at the floating pollutants. Only with people’s support and awareness, river pollution can be controlled, visiting official team opined. Local aged resident Pramod gave an account which clearly explained the situation. He said, in his 50-year stay on the banks of the river, he had never witnessed damage caused by solid waste, even during monsoon flooding.
They demanded strict action against violators and said issuing notices alone will not solve the problem but insisted on levying huge fines.
Isn’t an agitation to “Save Nethravathi” from solid waste pollution and other pollutants the need of the hour?
