Mangaluru: For the last two weeks Elvita of Thokur village, about 7 kms from Mangaluru city, has found that the rice she makes is unfit to eat within a few hours after it is cooked and when she boils water there is a residue of dirt in the vessel.
Many of her neighbours in the village and people of nearby villages too have similar complaints all thanks to the polluted Falguni river that they depend on for their water.
Accusing industries of discharging their effluents into the river, the villagers say the pollution is glaringly obvious at the Maravoor vented dam, where the water has turned black and smelly downstream, making life miserable for those living nearby.
“We would get a good catch of fish from the dam earlier. But now because of the pollution there is no fish here anymore and the smell is horrible,” said Mr Titus D’Souza a resident of Padushedde Kudru, adding “This is the first time I have seen such pollution in the last 56 years. Though the problem has been brought to the notice of the panchayat member, nothing has been done.”
Other villagers said although water pollution is not new here, it has increased in recent weeks. “About three months ago fish died in the river due to the pollution and for the last two weeks the colour of the water has changed in many wells in Maravoor, Thokur and nearby villages. But none of the officials or elected representatives seem to care,” they regret.
The NECF, a voluntary group, has given the district administration 24 hours to take action.
