The government employees’ strike from January 8 will deal a blow to the City Corporation’s attempts to find a solution to the garbage crisis in the city, Mayor K. Chandrika has said.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, she said no viable alternative to the Vilappilsala plant had been found so far. The government should talk to various employees’ organisations and take steps to avert the strike, she said.
“With the limited means we have, the Corporation workers and councillors are trying to handle this situation, considering that the city produces over 200 tonnes of garbage everyday and the Vilappilsala waste treatment plant remains shut,” she said. An indefinite strike would be a setback to the efforts of the Corporation as manpower was heavily relied on to segregate waste. Also, the People’s Plan process was nearing the implementation stage, she said. The Corporation would not confiscate flex boards. But the civic body had spoken to all political parties regarding the overwhelming use of such publicity material, she said.
“It is too much now and parties need to take it upon themselves to remove their boards. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala has promised to avoid excessive use of boards and to get the ones announcing past events removed,” Ms. Chandrika said.
Plastic ban
Regarding the complaints made by shop-owners that the ban on plastic carry bags should not be enforced due to the lack of alternatives, the Mayor said, “these are just excuses and if they had put in some effort and placed orders with cloth bag-making units earlier on, there would not have been a problem.”
The possibility of an anti-plastic drive was communicated to the traders’ fraternity well in advance, she added.
Ms. Chandrika said action should be taken against those who reportedly attacked mediapersons at the venue of the Thiruvananthapuram Revenue District School Art Festival here recently.
The Mayor also inaugurated a biogas plant on the Corporation premises.
