Thiruvananthapuram: Vilappilsala residents have decided to strengthen their agitation against the solid waste treatment plant of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. As part of the efforts to ensure better participation, the residents’ associations and traders too have decided to join the agitation. A meeting was held at Vilappilsala on Monday in this regard with the participation of all organisations and political parties in the panchayat. Vilappilsala panchayat member George Kutty said that seven persons were arrested by the police in connection with the violence, which had resulted in damage to several vehicles. Though they were not involved in any violent incidents, the police had fabricated false cases against them, he said.
When the Vilappilsala residents blocked the vehicles of the Corporation, several people from other parts of the district, who where not part of the agitation, had assembled there. Those people were behind the violent incidents and there is suspicion over the presence of certain Corporation officials during the day of violence. Those arrested were released on bail after depositing the security amount collected from the people. Vilappilsala residents are waiting for the direction from the Court, before which the case is pending.
George Kutty said that the Corporation was still not finding out an alternative for solving the waste problems in the city. Sreekariyam and Attingal had already proved that mini solid waste treatment plants were successful and, yet, no such initiative was taken by the Corporation authorities. He claimed that during the fund collection drive, cine actor Suresh Gopi had promised to provide Rs 10 lakh if a mini plant came up somewhere near Sasthamangalam. He had even identified a place on the Kerala Water Authority pump house premises near Pippinmoodu, where the plant could come up to solve the waste menace in Sasthamangalam and surrounding areas. "The stream near the Vilappilsala plant which was polluted earlier is now having clear water. We will never allow the Corporation to pollute the panchayat,’’ George Kutty said.
As a model to other local bodies, Vilappilsala panchayat too has decided to go in for a mini waste treatment plant. The plant will come up near the market at an estimated cost of Rs 4.95 lakh.
Comments
0 comment