River bund threatens Mangaluru with monsoon floods

Environmentalists have inspected a temporary bund constructed across the Phalguni river as part of the Thannirbhavi-Sulthan Battery overbridge project. They express grave concerns that this bund may obstruct the river's natural flow into the sea. This obstruction could create backpressure from the Nethravati river, leading to significant flooding in low-lying areas of Mangaluru.

NECF officials predict that neighborhoods like Malemar, Kuntikana, Abakka Nagar, and Derebail could experience water levels rising up to four feet. They also highlighted the alarming pollution levels in the river, citing tests that found E. coli at approximately 28,000 ppm, far exceeding the 800-900 ppm reported by the Union government for highly polluted waters. Despite previous warnings, accountability from authorities remains a concern.