After failing to identify the land owner, the corporation is to install CCTV surveillance cameras in the area. The corporation will also remove the waste now piled up in the land. “We have sought the details of the vacant land from village authorities. We used to remove waste from the land. But, anti-social elements would dump the waste there every night,” councillor M G Aristotle said.

It is not an isolated incident as many parts of the corporation are witnessing similar incidents. “In most cases, it is very difficult to identify the owners. So, we would first remove the waste at our cost and would charge the amount from the owner later,” mayor M Anilkumar said. “There requires a paradigm shift in the mindset and culture of the people. We would be erecting CCTVs in such places,” Anilkumar said.

At the same time, incidents of councillors being attacked for questioning waste dumping are increasing in the city. In the past few days, two women councillors and the husband of another councillor were attacked by those who dump waste.

“On Saturday morning, my husband and I were on jogging. Suddenly, we saw an autorickshaw driver littering a waste bundle onto the shoulders of road. We rushed to the spot and questioned. He shouted at us. When my husband was writing down the number of the vehicle, he drove away the autorickshaw in a rush. Hadn’t my husband moved back immediately, the vehicle would have hit him,” said Mini Dileep, the councillor from Ayyappankavu division.

“It is learnt that there is a group which collects the garbage from hotels. They would simply dump the waste thus collected in the street,” she said.

Similarly, Jagadambika, the councillor from Kunnumpuram division, was attacked for questioning waste dumping on August 19. “Local residents informed me that a woman threw waste on the road. When I reached there, I asked her to take back the waste.

Her reply was that she had the right to dump waste. She also said that it not to take back that she dumped the waste,” Jagadambika said. Later, the brother of the woman hit Jagadambika on her head.

Lonappan, husband of Suja Lonappan, another councillor, also had similar experience.

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