THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation, currently grappling with an unprecedented financial crunch, was compelled to dip into its own funds over the past week to ensure sanitation and hygiene during the Keraleeyam, a government-organised exhibition showcasing the state’s achievements and cultural heritage. While the corporation effectively maintained cleanliness at the event and throughout the city, the additional financial burden of Rs 36 lakh from the non-plan fund has further strained the already struggling civic body.
This strain is exacerbated by the extensive damage to the city’s road networks and persistent issues of waterlogging following heavy rainfall. A corporation official disclosed that the additional expenditure primarily went into hiring resources and vehicles for waste management, supplementing the existing mechanisms of the civic body.
“Despite our earlier proposal to the government for funds being rejected, we maximised our resources for sanitation, but it proved insufficient. We had to recruit more sanitation workers, Kudumbashree workers, and Haritha Karma Sena members to work round the clock. Additionally, we procured vehicles for waste disposal,” he said.
Opposition parties expressed frustration over delayed development activities, including road repairs and sanitation work, in most wards. BJP councillor M R Gopan criticised the government’s extravagant spending on events while the city grapples with rain-related calamities.
“Some roads are entirely destroyed, waterlogging persists, and residents are still enduring these issues. We will vehemently protest in the upcoming council meeting, urging the civic body to announce a special package for all one hundred wards to address rainrelated calamities,” Gopan said. Congress councillors also staged protests, demanding more robust solutions for the ongoing ward crises. “The allocated funds for premonsoon sanitation work are insufficient. Continuous rainfall necessitates a higher allocation for each ward. The current allotment of Rs 1 lakh per ward falls short.
A minimum of Rs 3.5 lakh should be sanctioned,” said Congress councillor P Padmakumar. In response, the ruling council dismissed the opposition’s claims, with LDF councillor D R Anil asserting that despite the financial constraints, the civic body is actively addressing the challenges posed by incessant rain.
“Keraleeyam remains a significant event, and it’s crucial for us to stand united in support. The opposition’s allegations are unfounded. We’ve already disbursed Rs 1 lakh to each ward, and it’s the responsibility of the councillors to utilise these funds effectively. We’ve provided additional funds to wards that have demonstrated proper utilisation,” Anil clarified.