Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) officials have seized three tankers involved in the unauthorized disposal of sewage and waste into the Nethravathi River and city wet wells.

An MCC enforcement team uncovered an illicit operation where sewage tankers from Kerala entered Mangaluru via Talapady to dump waste unlawfully. Authorities have penalized the violators and filed police cases against them. MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Naik affirmed that crackdowns on such illegal activities will persist, emphasizing that disposing of sewage into rivers, storm drains, or water bodies is strictly forbidden.

According to MCC Assistant Executive Engineer M.N. Shivalingappa, 65% of city households are linked to the underground drainage system, while the remaining 35% rely on domestic septic tanks. The MCC has authorized 20 suction tankers, all equipped with GPS and geofencing, to transport sewage safely to designated wet wells. Any tanker moving beyond its assigned zone triggers alerts at the corporation’s Command and Control Centre.

Following complaints of illegal dumping, officials raided suspected locations on February 7. A tanker entering Mangaluru from Talapady was intercepted near Mannagudda while transferring its load to another vehicle. A fine of ₹10,000 was levied on both vehicles, and a police complaint was lodged.

In a separate case, Mangaluru South Police intercepted a vehicle near Jeppinamogaru on February 10, attempting to dump fish waste into the Nethravathi. A police case was registered, and the MCC imposed a ₹10,000 penalty.