Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 9: The first ever desalination plant in the state which proposes to purity seawater through reverse osmosis technology is likely to become functional by April 2020. Preliminary work on the project has been taken up at Tannirbavi and tender process for the project is currently underway.

The idea for setting up the plant had got momentum after the city faced water shortage a couple of years back, and also after fear of short supply of water emanated after Yettinahole project was conceived. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) in in need of large quantity of water and depending entirely on River Netravati for its needs is not feasible for it, going by past experience, as the city corporation imposes restriction on use of water by heavy industries in summer months.

After holding several rounds of meetings, MRPL has got the project costing about Rs 600 crore sanctioned. The proposed plant will have a capacity to produce five million gallons of water everyday. The company is currently in need of 14 million gallons of water which it pools through River Netravati, underground processingunit at Kavoor, etc. There are chances of other local industrial units of Mangalore Chemicals land Fertilizers joining hands in the project.

The plan needs 35 to 40 acres of land, and land belonging to New Mangalore Port Trust has been chosen for the plant, by offering alternative land to the trust by MRPL. The plant will be built las per the local needs, company officials stated. The plant will ease dependency on River Netravati and water from it can be used for drinking water purposes too.