Mangalore: The members of Nagarika Horata Samiti, Jokatte on Friday marched from Town Hall, Mangalore to the DC’s office protesting against the establishment of Sulphur and Coke units at the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), under Phase III plant of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Limited (MRPL) Phase III plant.

Munir Katipalla, who led the protest march, said the expansion of MRPL to IIIrd phase is a sign of rise in pollution. The residents gave away the land decades ago for minimum price, as the company promised jobs for the youths. But, MRPL has failed to do so’, he said.

By establishing third unit, the residents are forced to inhale dust and use polluted water, which is the result of giving space for MRPL, Katipalla said, adding that the industry is not serious in implementing the green belt.

The areas surrounding MRPL were with lush greenery, however, now it’s not so. The quality of water in the area – whether it is through underground water accessed through borewell and open wells, or through lakes and streams – has deteriorated over the past year, he pointed out.

B.S. Sharief, former president of the Jokatte Gram Panchayat, estimated that around 2,000 households nearby were affected by the construction activities.

The villagers said, “We have given a lot of our land to the companies coming up in MSEZ. The least they can do is ensure the villages next to theirs have basic amenities. Even under their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), MRPL has not done anything for Jokatte,” said Mr. Sharief.

The agitators demanded that the construction stop before the district administration or MRPL authorities start negotiations for them.

The protest march saw several residents living around MRPL, voicing out their agitation against the establishment of third unit.