A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday warned that it might have to adopt other measures to get its order implemented for providing police protection for setting up a leachate plant at the Vilappilsala waste treatment plant.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A.M. Shaffique made the oral observations when a petition filed by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation came up for hearing.
Coming down heavily on the government, the court sought to know whether the State mechanism was too weak to comply with the court directive to provide police protection to transport the leachate machines and equipment to the Vilappilsala solid waste treatment plant.
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The court had earlier directed the State Police Chief to provide police protection to the officials of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for transporting machinery for the construction of the leachate treatment unit at the Vilappilsala treatment plant until it was ready for operation. Terming the conduct of the government ‘'unfortunate’, the court said it was the duty of the government to implement its orders. The court added that the government should find a solution to the issue.
The court further asked political parties to set aside their differences and try to avoid the menace of garbage. “The fight between the panchayat and the Corporation has been continuing, leaving the welfare of the people in the lurch,” the court observed.
Taking the Vilappil panchayat and Samithi to task, the court asked. “Why there was no agitation 12 years back when the plant had started operations”. By demanding the closure of the plant, Rs.37 crore of public money invested in the plant would go down the drain, the court said.
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Meanwhile, the government in a statement said that it had taken all possible steps to solve the problem of solid waste in Thiruvananthapuram in the event of closure of the plant. The garbage issue was being effectively managed by adopting alternative methods.