THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The city is slowly limping back to normalcy after the sudden spell of rain on Monday night and Tuesday that submerged most areas. While the low lying areas got inundated as usual, some new areas experienced flooding this time. As the flood water begins to recede, the blame game has started.
While fingers were pointed at the city corporation and district administration for their inefficiency in unclogging the sewer lines and clearing the garbage heaps, allegations are rife that the ruling faction is having a go-slow approach on encroachments. The abrupt halt of Operation Anantha has only made the situation worse.
“Despite the wholehearted support from the opposition councillors, the corporation failed miserably in executing a waste management project. Besides, the encroachers are having a free run as the ruling faction is showing no interest in moving forward with Operation Anantha,” said Anilkumar D, Congress councillor of Pettah ward.
He alleged that even the state government has not taken the corporation into confidence as the former unilaterally objected a waste management proposal passed by the District Planning Committee.
At the same time, BJP councillor Girikumar of Valiyavila ward said it was the ineffectiveness on the part of the corporation in unclogging the stormwater drains that resulted in flooding. “Though the BJP had demanded an all-party meeting with the Mayor to discuss the monsoon preparation, it fell on deaf ears,” he said.Meanwhile, corporation’s health standing committee chairman K Sreekumar told ‘Express’ that these allegations were baseless.
The corporation had ensured every possible means to address the monsoon woes, mainly flooding. According to him, the corporation, as well as the district administration, is working hand in hand in addressing the waste issue and ‘there is no difference of opinion whatsoever between them’.
Earlier, in the Credit Rating Assessment Report of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, which was prepared as part of AMRUT Mission, it has been highlighted that the corporation ‘lacks an organized sewerage system and treatment facility for waste segregation and treatment of municipal solid waste management.’
The report also mentioned the lack of sufficient stormwater drains in the corporation limits, which resulted in waterlogging incidents.Meanwhile, with the corporation moving towards Smart City project, it is giving considerable importance for the management of municipal solid waste. It is also said that a strategy for decentralization and processing of biodegradable waste at the micro level or at a source is also being chalked out.