THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vilappil panchayat will let the Government know of its decision - whether or not it will allow the City Corporation to carry out treatment of existing waste at the waste treatment plant at Vilappilsala - on Thursday. An all-party meet to be held on that day at the panchayat office is expected to arrive at a decision in this regard.
The panchayat officials gave the promise to consider the option following a Supreme Court verdict on Tuesday disposing its appeal challenging the High Court order, which had allowed the Corporation to run the plant with the assistance of the police.
At the meeting called by Urban Affairs Minister Manjalamkuzhy Ali, his first meeting after assuming the post, the panchayat officials said they will consider the new circumstances at the all-party meet.
After the meeting, which was attended by panchayat and Corporation officials, along with Suchitwa Mission and Urban Affairs officials, the Minister said that it was not the Government stand to force the public to allow garbage trucks into their land. "We are not calling for a fight with the people, which will not work anyway,’’ he said.
He asked the panchayat to consider allowing the Corporation to carry out the construction activities of the leachate treatment plant which have come to a standstill. "Allow the Corporation to carry clay and machinery for work inside the plant,’’ he requested the panchayat officials. "After treating the existing garbage, we will think further,’’ the Minister said. He said that the issue would be discussed with the Chief Minister at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
"We have updated the Minister on how the people have and are still suffering from the waste treatment plant. At the meeting to be held on Thursday at 2 pm, we will discuss our stand with representatives of all parties and inform the Government,’’ said Shobhanakumari, Vilappil panchayat president, after the meeting.
However, the Vilappil Janakeeya Samithi has come up against the panchayat, saying that the panchayat committee should quit for paving the way for an unfavourable verdict from the apex court. "They had not discussed with us or with the people regarding the filing of appeal in the Supreme Court. Whatever the panchayat decides, we will block the entry of garbage trucks into the village. They have invited the unwanted; we will not support them any further,’’ said Burhan, Janakeeya Samithi leader.