The National Environment Care Federation (NECF) has strongly opposed the proposed inland waterway project connecting Hoige Bazaar to Kuloor Bridge, citing multiple environmental, procedural, and economic concerns. The objections were formally submitted during the Environmental Public Hearing conducted at the Old Port, South Wharf Godown, Mangaluru.
Shashidhar Shetty, Honorary Secretary of NECF, highlighted serious lapses in project planning and compliance. “The Port Department and Karnataka Maritime Board have not conducted proper land surveys or demarcation, resulting in encroachments that need resolution before any new project,” Shetty said.
The federation noted that the project area falls within CRZ–IB foreshore land and lacks mandatory clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Additionally, environmental concerns include potential destruction of mangroves and other vegetation due to dredging, filling, and construction. NECF also questioned the legality of the tender process and non-compliance with the Parivesh portal submission norms.
The federation criticized the public hearing itself as invalid, stating it was inadequately publicized and poorly attended, leaving local fisherfolk and stakeholders unaware. NECF further challenged the project’s economic rationale, arguing that the proposed Ro-Ro (roll-on roll-off) system is inefficient: a river journey from Bunder to Kuloor would take two hours compared to 20–25 minutes by road, with higher fuel and fare costs, making it unlikely that vehicle owners would adopt the service.
Instead, NECF suggested relocating warehouses from the Port area to the largely vacant APMC yard at Baikampady to reduce congestion without harming the environment or wasting public funds.
The federation has urged authorities to declare the public hearing invalid, suspend further project proceedings until environmental and CRZ clearances are obtained, and mandate comprehensive land and environmental surveys before any further steps are taken.