News Karnataka
Thursday, March 28 2024
Cricket
Udupi

Broken UPCL pipeline: Fishermen fear danger to marine life, livelihood

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Udupi: The residents in and around Yermal area here rue the fact that the effluent outfall diffuser, a pipeline laid by the Adani Owned Coal-based Power Generating Unit, the Udupi Power Corporation (UPCL) to discharge hot wastewater into the sea near Yellur has been lying broken for about a year now endangering marine life and posing threat to livelihood of fishermen in this area.

The pipeline was laid by UPCL on the oceanic basin that divides Yermal South and North Villages. The pipeline here is being damaged frequently due to sea tides and unscientific technology adopted by the company to build the same, allege local residents on the condition of anonymity.

A month ago, the pipeline was broken and found in the sea, which was later brought to the seashore by the local fishermen. During the time, the UPCL had given assurances to the fishermen that it will be repaired soon, which has not yet been fulfilled even after a month. Now, the water leaks through the broken pipeline and joins the sea at the beach area. As a safe practice, the water should be discharged under the sea, a kilometre away from the seashore. However due to the negligence of the Company the water is discharged near the seashore.

 Danger to Fishing Activities

Those dependent on traditional fishing in this locality are facing serious problems due to this. Earlier as a result of the construction of breakwater, the Kairampani (Traditional fishing) was stopped here. Due to the sea erosion at Tenka Village, the roads and houses were damaged. Due to the initiative taken by the then MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake, the breakwater was dismantled and the problems were solved, temporarily with reduction of sea erosion. However, the huge stones of the dismantled breakwater lying under the sea could not be removed, and as a result, fishing stopped in this area.

According to elderly people of the fishing community, discharging of hot wastewater is destroying the marine life in the area. “When compared to previous years, many species of fish are not traceable now, and fishing too has become next to impossible,” they observe.

“Pipeline breaks frequently, posing danger to the fishing activities. On few occasions, ash-mixed sand has been found near the pipeline. There are chances that the water discharged into the sea may contain ash,” said Shivakumar, Member, Gram Panchayat. However, the Company has maintained that the discharged wastewater contains no chemicals or pollutants and is treated before it is discharged.

Director for Environment at Indian Red Cross Society, Karnataka State Branch, Yathish Baikampady, had wrote on Facebook about the issue saying that, “The used water is unscientifically being discharged near the seashore due to which the fisherman is not able to carry out traditional fishing activities these days. The unscientific development of the beach has been destroying the coastal habitat and threatening our very existence,” he added.

“The plant cannot to be run like this as we can clearly see that the colour of the water near the shore is different due to the pollutant and the officials are not taking any action towards this. The officials responsible should be made accountable and necessary action should be taken against them as this kind of negligence from the authorities cannot be tolerated, ” he stressed.

Speaking further on the issue, he said that the authorities concerned should order closure of the plant till the discharge pipeline is restored as per specification. He argued that the mainstream media must help to inspect the plant and also help to bring about necessary action in this regard.

“This is the most unethical and unreasonable development, and needs immediate intervention by the authorities concerned,” wrote another Facebook user warning that, otherwise the entire fisheries industry in the area may face a downfall soon.

Locals have expressed dissatisfaction over the UPCL Company and the other authorities concerned for not taking any appropriate action post the damage to the pipeline. The complaints have been heard for years about the hot water being discharged out of the UPCL, and no permanent solution has been worked out as yet causing continuous damage to marine life and loss to the fishermen, they informed. Further, they have warned that the fishermen community will hold a massive protest, if the government and the authorities concerned do not take permanent action to rectify the same and alleviate their problem.

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