Minister orders probe to ascertain if there was lapse in cleaning after Attukal Pongala

Minister V Sivankutty on Friday said the RDO has been tasked with a probe to ascertain whether there were any lapses in the post-festival cleaning operations following the Attukal Pongala in the state capital. In a Facebook post, the minister said cleaning work was progressing in various parts of the city after the Pongala, which drew lakhs of devotees from across the state to Thiruvananthapuram, but media reports had claimed delays in waste removal and lapses in sanitation in some areas. He said it was essential to clean the city at the earliest after the festival to ensure public health and safety and smooth traffic movement. In this context, the Thiruvananthapuram RDO has been directed to inspect in person and ascertain whether there were any shortcomings in the cleaning operations and submit a report immediately, Sivankutty said. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is responsible for carrying out post-Pongala cleaning works, he said, adding that strict action would be taken if any shortcomings were found. The government is committed to resolving the difficulties faced by the public and restoring the city to normalcy at the earliest, the minister added.