MANGALORE: A seminar on "Role of streams in overall development of Mangalore" held here on Friday emphasised that development was robbing the city of its natural streams, which was not only an environmental concern, but also a civic issue. The seminar was organised by the Urban Research Centre along with the Dakshina Kannada Parisarasktha Okkoota under the aegis of Shree Devi Institute of Social Work.

Delivering the keynote address, corporator of Mangalore City Corporation Devananda Pai said the importance of natural streams was immense to a city such as Mangalore, particularly since the terrain is hilly and storm water needs natural drainage.

He said natural streams in Mangalore were sources of drinking water, but ever since the development bug had bitten the city, water bodies such as wetlands, open wells, small tanks and ponds have vanished as land had been reclaimed by builders. He said owing to the failure of underground drainage in the city, residents were forced to release waste into open drains. Chairperson of the Urban Research Centre Celine Aranha, who presided over the inaugural function, said natural streams were a source of water, which could be harnessed for municipal purposes provided the city was able to conserve these streams.

Opposition Leader in the Mangalore City Corporation Muralidhar Bolar said drains had become a convenient place for people to dump waste, which had resulted in storm water drains getting clogged. He said the awareness level even among the educated people on the importance of natural streams and drains is low. Inaugurating the seminar, secretary of Sree Devi Education Trust Myna S. Shetty said the school of social work should assist civic bodies and non-governmental organisations in taking up issues civic importance. A panel discussion was held in which professor and Head of the Department of Fisheries Economics of Fisheries College in Mangalore Ramachandra Bhatta spoke.

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