KOCHI: Coming down heavily on the inaction of the State police in implementing the High Court order to provide police security for transporting solid waste to Vilappilsala, the Court on Friday orally observed that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be asked to provide security for transporting waste.
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation submitted that the police was inactive for executing the Court directive in connection with the Vilappilsala garbage issue.
The Court observed that the intervention of the police force in the issue was not at all effective and hence the Union Government, along with the CRPF, must be impleaded in the case.
A Division Bench Comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon adjourned the hearing of the case after one week.
The Court had earlier directed to provide police protection for running the Vilappilsala treatment plant without any obstruction and had asked to open the locks of the gates of the plant to enable garbage vehicles to enter the plant.
However, panchayat president Shobhana Kumari, along with the agitators, organised protests and blocked the movement of garbage trucks, the petitioner submitted. A crowd of more than 5,000 people, consisting of young and old, women and children and physically challenged, had put up a stiff resistance and upset the plans of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to send garbage lorries to the Vilappilsala plant on February 13.
A contempt case has been pending before the Court against the panchayat president, Janakeeya Samithy president Burhanudeen and secretary Beneckson, the petitioner pointed out.
The Corporation said that as soon as the copy of the interim order was received by the Corporation, a representation was submitted before the Director General of Police for extending police protection. However, no steps were taken by the police to offer protection.
Still, the Corporation decided to resume the functioning of the treatment plant. When the two lorries reached the outskirts of the plant, a huge crowd of men and women under the leadership of panchayat president obstructed the lorries.
The unruly mob at the site became violent and they started pelting stones at the police and consequently police had used force by resorting to a mild lathi-charge and also fired tear gas shells.
The counsel for the petitioner Nandakumara Menon submitted that Vilappil panchayat authorities and the residents are trying to scare the Corporation. Due to the non-cooperation of the police, valuable machinery brought from Pune could not be taken to the factory site. The Corporation was ultimately forced to unload the machinery on the premises of the Corporation office.
The machinery was brought on February 17 for the purpose of the construction of the leachate plant at Vilappilsala, the Corporation submitted.
The Corporation argued that it could not implement the order passed by the Court due to the agitation. The Corporation argued that the residents and the Vilappil panchayat had prevented them from enforcing the High Court order.