Mangaluru (The Hindu): Mayor Kavitha Sanil has said that there was nothing wrong in allowing private developers to build the road adjacent to and the culvert on the Pachchanadi rivulet. Ms. Sanil represents Pachchanadi ward in the Mangaluru City Corporation Council.

The sewer lines going to Pachchanadi STP used to break down often creating nuisance in the region. The road had to be formed anyway and now the developers have done it, thus getting enough width for the road, to get clearance for projects from Mangalore Urban Development Authority, she said. Otherwise, the corporation had to form the road, Ms. Sanil added.

It also benefits several houses located in the region, which, otherwise, did not have proper road connectivity, she noted. A spot visit revealed that the old residential area has connectivity from the Moodushedde-Bondel road, while a few new houses have come up adjacent to the newly formed road abutting the rivulet.

As regards a farmer’s allegation that the rivulet’s width has shrunk, the Mayor said that, in fact, the width has increased, from about 30 m to 50 m. [However, the rivulet has just become another a sewage drain in reality.] She said that there should not be any apprehension about floods.

Responding to another allegation that the corporation was helping developers, Ms. Sanil said that land development would result in overall development of the region, which should be welcomed.