Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the State Government to file an affidavit on Monday regarding a convenient date for providing police protection to transport waste to the Vilappilsala solid waste treatment plant. The Court has also asked the state to confirm a date to provide protection for City Corporation officials to take machinery purchased by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the leachate plant at Vilappilsala.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A M Shaffique passed the order while considering a petition filed by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation seeking the Court’s intervention in the waste treatment issue. The Corporation counsel advocate N Nandakumara Menon submitted that the Corporation could not transport the solid waste from various parts of the city to Vilappil owing to the lack of police protection. The Court had earlier asked the police to provide police protection, however, they failed to do so.
In an affidavit, the Corporation said that it was not able to transport the electro-mechanical items and machinery that have been brought from Pune for the purpose of construction of the leachate plant. Also, the Corporation has to transport clay for the sanitary landfill on the premises of the plant. The Corporation said that it was ready to transport the machinery on July 24 and requested not less than 500 police personnel, including 200 women constables, for protection. It had also submitted that the police protection should be provided from the Kundamonkadavu bridge, which is the Corporation limit.
The Corporation also informed that it intends to transport the waste to the plant on July 31. “Initially, two trucks of waste from Chalai area can be transported to the plant and on subsequent days more loads can be transported, limiting to 90 tonnes per day,” it said.
The State Government said that it was ready to provide police protection for the transportation of waste and machines. However, it could not provide protection on July 24 as the Assembly session will be on the same day. Following which, the Court asked it to file an affidavit in this regard.
According to the Corporation, the failure in collecting and transporting waste for the last six months from various parts of the city has resulted in an increase of incidence of Dengue fever and other contagious diseases. The Court will also consider the contempt petition filed by the Thiruvananthpuram Corporation against Vilappilsala panchayat on Monday.
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