Corp’s pre-monsoon cleaning proves to be a damp squib

  • | Tuesday | 13th August, 2019

Gopika IS ByExpress News ServiceTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The monsoon turned the much talked about pre-monsoon cleaning by city corporation to a damp squib. Evidently, the fact is that the pre-monsoon cleaning was not as extensive as it was touted to be. Irrigation department that built the ‘Operation Anantha’ drains can’t wash its hands off the issue. We have done our own pre-monsoon cleaning works. Many big projects were envisioned as part of ‘Operation Anantha’ which we had to be shelved owing to practical difficulties at that time.

Gopika IS By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The monsoon turned the much talked about pre-monsoon cleaning by city corporation to a damp squib. Water has entered homes. Reason: blocked drains. Karimadom colony - meat waste and other non biodegradable waste blocked the flow of water in the drains. Even the deeper drains made as part of ‘Operation Anantha’ were of no help. The nearby Kaveri Gardens was also waterlogged. The case was no different in Keezharannoor and regions of south Kalady, where flooded roads obstructed traffic. Allegations range from design flaws in ‘Operation Anantha’ drains to the residents disposing waste in them. Evidently, the fact is that the pre-monsoon cleaning was not as extensive as it was touted to be. The Corporation maintains otherwise. “We had done extensive pre monsoon cleaning of drains. In fact the water logging was less this time around. Wherever the water logging happened, it went down within a short period of time. If there are any shortcomings we will address it,” said Mayor V K Prasanth. A corporation official begs to differ, though not necessarily pointing fingers at the corporation. “In Karimadom, the drains of operation Anantha were clogged with waste. The slaughter houses nearby dump the waste in these drains and there were sacks upon sacks of waste. Corporation did do the cleaning works. However, cleaning drains is not the responsibility of city corporation alone. In other places like Kalady, it is not just the waste but also private parties closing the drains that resulted in water logging. Such offenders should also be identified and fined,” said the official. Irrigation department that built the ‘Operation Anantha’ drains can’t wash its hands off the issue. “Primary cleaning must be done by the concerned corporation. If there is anything that is not possible for them to do, they can approach the government which will intimate us of the same, said an official. . We have done our own pre-monsoon cleaning works. In Karimadom colony, there are a lot of difficulties when it comes to drains and their maintenance. One of them is encroachments. Many big projects were envisioned as part of ‘Operation Anantha’ which we had to be shelved owing to practical difficulties at that time. It is time to rethink. Cleaning is not the only issue,” said an official.

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