Kerala - Kochi   

Prohibitory orders clamped on Amblamugal area

KOCHI: Prohibitory orders have been clamped on the Amblamugal area under Section 144 Cr.PC from 7 p.m. on Saturday by the District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish in the wake of the people in the area protesting against the dumping of waste from the city in the land owned by Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore at Kuzhikkala which was identified by the district administration for the purpose.

The district administration prepared for moving the waste from the city early in the day to the identified area. But the people in the locality gathered together to prevent the move. They tried to prevent the earthmoving equipment that was despatched to prepare ground for dumping the waste. The police had to intervene to remove the protestors.

The district administration has set out on a Herculean task of cleaning the city within 48 hours by Monday morning.

Armed with a blanket permission granted by the High Court to take all necessary measures to clean the city of accumulated waste, the district administration led by District Collector pulled out all stops to rescue the city, tottering on the brink of a health disaster. The Collector said the district administration was faced with a daunting task of clearing close to 1,000 tonnes of waste by Monday morning.

The district machinery supported by 1,000 cleaning staff, 100 officials and 100 tipper lorries were pressed into service with the aim of achieving the target within a minimum possible time. Steps were taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of sanitary items like lime, bleaching power, pesticide and anti-microbial deodorant, etc. He said that six possible sites were identified for dumping waste. They are FACT-owned land at Kuzhikkala, HMT Hills, reclaimed land of Goshree Island Development Authority (GIDA) near Marine Drive, Irumpanam, Karukutty near Angamaly and Ayyampuzha.

He said the district administration had taken over the FACT land, and orders were given to immediately remove all obstacles in the way of dumping of waste at the site.

Police protection would be provided all along the way to the site. Besides, the transit waste-dumping depot at Padiyathukulam would also be given police protection. Stalemate prevailed in the garbage collection and disposal in the city for close to two weeks after the district administration was forced to suspend dumping of waste at the GIDA land owing to local protests.

Mr. Hanish said unfair oppositions and protests against clearing waste would be strongly dealt with. He said the district administration drew up a list of persons who had created trouble in the past against waste disposal. He said the administration was prepared to go to any extent, including the arrest of those persons creating hurdles in achieving the objective of cleaning the city.

The Collector said that cases would be registered under the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act, against all such persons who damaged the vehicles or equipment involved in waste disposal. Stating that the city was going through a critical situation, Mr. Hanish sought cooperation from all quarters in cleaning the city. He urged the builders and contractors in the district to make available maximum manpower and machinery.

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