Phalguni bund may flood neighbourhoods this monsoon, warn environmentalists

Mangaluru: Warning that large parts of the city could be flooded during the monsoon, environmentalists from National Environment Care Federation (NECF) Thursday inspected a temporary bund built across the Phalguni river as part of the Thannirbhavi–Sulthan Battery overbridge construction.

The NECF said the bund could prevent River Phalguni from flowing smoothly into the sea, leading to backpressure from River Nethravati and pushing water back into the Phalguni.

Shashidhar Shetty, honorary secretary, NECF, told TOI that gushing water from the Western Ghats would flood Malemar, Kuntikana, Abakka Nagar and Derebail, with water levels rising up to 4ft, forcing residents to evacuate.

Suresh Udupa, a member of NECF, said debris had been piled up to one-third of the riverbank on both sides last year, leaving a portion in the middle for water flow. “Now it has been filled, and small cement pipes are placed for water to flow. This time, certainly, flooding will happen,” he said.

Udupa denied the possibility of the bund breaking during high monsoon flow and said that, due to high tides from the Nethravati, water would be pushed upward into the Phalguni river, ultimately flooding the region.

The NECF also raised concerns about increasing pollution in the river flowing adjacent to the city’s industrial region. Citing tests conducted by the organisation in a government lab, Udupa alleged that the river recorded E coli at about 28,000 parts per million (ppm), compared to 800–900 ppm mentioned in the Union govt’s report on highly polluted water.

Shetty said that despite the pollution board issuing show-cause notices to the corporation several times, there was no accountability. “Authorities will fine the common man if the PUC certificate lapses by one day, but are silent now,” he added.