Mangaluru: Continuing their protest on Tuesday, several residents displayed mock corpses and shouted slogans against the pollution caused by the coke and sulphur manufacturing units of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Limited (MRPL) Phase III plant and demanded its closure.

The residents had staged protests many times in the past against the MRPL coke unit, under the banner of Nagarika Horata Samiti.

Some of the activists on Monday, slept in front of the main entrance of the refinery simulating their death due to inhalation of the poisonous air.

Muneer Katipalla, president of DYFI said that the government has not taken any action, despite relentless protests. Besides, the MRPL officials too have refused to heed to the problems and demands of the local residents.

He feared that if the refinery started production in the upcoming Sulphur plant, it would aggravate the pollution further.

Mr. Katipalla said that the sulphur plant was just 50-metre away from the coke plant. The company said that it would raise the height of the peripheral wall of the plant by 30ft. but it would not prevent the dust from the plant area spreading in air. Hence, the plant should be closed down as people were risking their health.

He lambasted the deputy commissioner and elected representatives for not taking any action against the company in spite of several problems and difficulties faced by the people.

The protesters warned of intense protests in the future until MRPL relocated its coke and sulphur units to a different location away from residential areas.

Rai reacts

Dakshina Kannada District in-charge minister B. Ramanath Rai recently said that he was aware of the problems faced by the residents. We have fixed a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to sort out the issue.