Inter-departmental tussle brews ahead of pre-monsoon cleaning

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the entire state machinery is engaged in containing what is being touted as the pandemic of the century, the Public Works Department and the city corporation are locking horns over cleaning of drains and canals in Thiruvananthapuram. With the pandemic threat looming large and monsoon fast approaching, the state government has directed the departments concerned to carry out sanitation drives on a war footing which would prove crucial for controlling communicable diseases.

With the heavy shower on Tuesday inundating many of the low-lying areas in the city, the district administration has directed the Public Works Department, Minor Irrigation Department and the corporation to finish pare-monsoon drives in a time-bound manner. However, lack of inter-department coordination in carrying out sanitation works is making matters worse. 

A senior official of the corporation’s health wing alleged that irrigation and public works departments are yet to launch cleaning drives in drains and canals maintained by them. The officials added it’s crucial that cleaning drives are launched simultaneously by all departments involved as the drains and canals are interconnected. 

“They are trying to escape from their responsibilities and are coming up with shallow excuses for not doing the job. We have taken up the matter with the district administration and these departments have been given an ultimatum to finish their work at the earliest ahead of monsoon,” said the official. While the corporation maintains around 1,200 drains in the state capital, PWD has nearly 300 km of drains in its jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, a senior PWD official lashed out at the civic authority for ineffective waste management.  “We all are under the threat of a pandemic and the civic body should step up and do its job. Our drains are getting clogged because garbage is not properly disposed of,” said the official.The official added that all drains coming under PWD would be cleaned up by May 15. “We have invited tenders. Because of the lockdown, workers are unable to begin. We have set aside `5 lakh for the sanitation drive in the district,” said the official. 

blame game
A senior official of the corporation’s health wing alleged that irrigation and public works departments are yet to launch cleaning drives in drains and canals maintained by them
Meanwhile, a senior PWD official lashed out at the civic authority for ineffective waste management which is clogging major drains and canals in the city