THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Shortly after sanitation worker Joy’s partially decomposed body was recovered from the Amayizhanchan canal, that doubles up as the city’s main sewer, on Monday, the state government joined the ongoing blame game between the railways and the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, warning the former of stringent action if it continued to neglect scientific waste management on its premises.
Local Self-Government (LSG) Minister M B Rajesh accused the railways of constantly ignoring letters from the state government and the corporation in this regard, and warned the national transporter of invoking sections of the Disaster Management Act if it continued with its noncooperation.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court cautioned the railways and the corporation against engaging in recrimination over the incident. The court directed the corporation, the district collector and the railways to file a report on how and why plastic waste was dumped into the canal, the manner in which it was removed, and the persons responsible for it. The authorities were also instructed to provide a specific plan of action for clearing the legacy waste accumulated in the canal, both within railway property and outside.
A day after the railways blamed the corporation for lapses in waste management, Rajesh held a press conference and took on the rail transporter. “The incident occurred on the railways’ premises. Despite repeated reminders from the government and city corporation, railways remained non-cooperative on this serious issue of waste management,” he said.
Blame game on
Minister M B Rajesh warns railways of invoking sections of Disaster Management Act if it continues to neglect scientific waste management on its premises
Earlier, the railways had blamed the corporation for lapses in waste mgmt
Minister comes down against Railways
“As per the Solid Waste Management Rules and the circular from the Indian Railways, it’s the responsibility of the railways to scientifically manage the waste it generats,” said Minister M B Rajesh.
Recalling that the HC had termed the railways as a bulk waste generator, the minister said the additional chief secretary LSGD, in charge of the waste management, convened meetings with senior railway officials in January.
But they refused to attend the meetings and subsequently, the state government informed them about the 20 actionable points to be taken up by them. “But there was no response from the railways,” he said.
Following this, the corporation issued multiple notices to the railways but there was no response.
“Finally, on June 19, as per my direction after the meeting with the corporation secretary and the mayor, the corporation issued another notice
warning the railways that action would be initiated if steps are not taken to carry out cleaning activities. Only then did they engage a contractor to clean up the canal,” Rajesh added.
The minister did not spare Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan either, accusing him of “exploiting” the tragic incident for political gains.