THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday registered a suo motu case and ordered to carry out pre-monsoon cleaning drive in Parvathy Puthanar and connected canals, and stormwater drains on a war footing.
Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas directed the district collector to constitute an official committee comprising deputy director disaster management, secretary of city corporation, executive engineer of Irrigation Department, executive engineer of PWD and a senior officer of Inland Navigation Department to coordinate the efforts.
The commission directed the district collector to take immediate measures to launch pre-monsoon sanitation drive in all canal networks and Parvathy Puthanar and report on it. The case was registered based on the report published by TNIE on April 5 which threw light on the dire state of the polluted canal network clogged with garbage and water hyacinth in the state capital.
The collector has been directed to coordinate with various agencies and ensure timely completion of the pre-monsoon sanitation drive and take steps to avoid flooding in the capital at any cost. The commission also directed the collector, who is the chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), to utilise disaster management fund for undertaking the cleaning drive.
The commission also directed the collector to hold meetings to address flood risks caused by water hyacinths in the Akkulam - Veli Lake. Besides this, the district police chief has been asked to issue directives to identify private agencies dumping waste in Akkulam Lake and Parvathi Puthanar. The commission has directed the authorities to submit a report on the action taken to clean up Akkulam- Veli Lake.
The commission has directed all parties to submit separate reports on compliance within one month. The commission will hold a sitting on May 5 at 10 am. Representatives from all departments have been asked to be present in the meeting.
‘Ensure timely completion’
The collector has been directed to coordinate with various agencies and ensure timely completion of the pre-monsoon sanitation drive and take steps to avoid flooding in the capital at any cost. The commission also directed the collector, who is the chairperson of the DDMA, to utilise disaster management fund for undertaking the cleaning drive.