Jokatte, Permude Grama Panchayats near Mangaluru declared as ‘Smoke Free’

 

Mangaluru, 17 Feb 2017: A programme to declare MRPL’s neighbouring villages Jokatte and Permude Grama Panchayats ‘Smoke Free’ was held on February 15 2017 at MRPL in Surathkal.

 

As part of oil and gas conservation month, MRPL had identified villages under four Grama Panchayats  and decided to make them smoke free. In a programme held on February 12, 2017 the villages under Surinje and Chelairu Grama Panchayats were declared ‘Smoke Free’. On February 15, about 100 families from Jokatte and Permude Gramapanchayats have been distributed with free LPG kits.

 

 

Precilla Monteiro and Saroja, the Presidents of Jokatte and Permude Grama Panchayats declared their respective Grama Panchayats as ‘Smoke free’.

 

Inaugurating the program, MLA Abhay Chandra Jain thanked MRPL for turning the surrounding villages smoke free. The difficulties incurred by his mother in cooking food by making use of firewood are fresh in his mind, said the MLA. He recollected the efforts of earlier leaders of the region in bringing MRPL to this area for the benefit of the local people.

 

M Venkatesh, Director, MRPL Refinery spoke on the occasion and said that turning village smoke free is not the job of the government and MRPL alone. Everyone needs to work together for common good. He intimated that MRPL is on the verge of producing BS6 petrol and diesel which will bring down emission drastically.

 

Abhay Chandra Jain, MLA, Mulki – Maoodabidri, M Venkatesh, Director Refinery, Y Ravindranath, CVO, Vasanti Kishore, Member Zilla Panchayat, BS Basheer, ShakunthalaShetty, Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat Memebrs, Precilla and Saroja, Presidents of Jokatte and Permude Grama Panchayats and others were present in the programme.