Fire breaks out at MRPL waste treatment plant in Surathkal
Surathkal: A fire accident was reported at the waste treatment plant of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) on Tuesday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred around 11 am during welding work near the petroleum waste treatment facility at the Phase-3 unit between Jokatte and Bajpe. During the welding operation, a spark reportedly struck a pipe connected to the waste treatment plant, triggering an explosion.
Police said the spark hit a treatment tank with a capacity of about 10,000 litres, causing it to explode. Employees working a few feet away from the site escaped unhurt after hearing the loud explosion.
Following the incident, all entry and exit gates of MRPL in Bajpe, Jokatte and Surathkal areas were closed, and restrictions were imposed on the movement of vehicles and people.
Fire tenders from MRPL visited the spot and carried out firefighting operations for about two hours to bring the situation under control.
While hot work is usually carried out only after ensuring that no petroleum waste is released into processing units, residents of Jokatte alleged that wastewater discharge led to the incident and expressed outrage, accusing MRPL of negligence and irresponsibility.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
