The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council meeting on Wednesday witnessed an uproar over waste management after Attukal Pongal, with Left Democratic Front (LDF) councilors staging a protest accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led civic body of failing to clear garbage from many areas even days after Pongal. Images of large amounts of garbage strewn around the Attukal temple and also inside the Government Sanskrit College during the past week put pressure on the civic body. Workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday carried out a cleaning activity at the Government Sanskrit College in the city. When the LDF councilors raised the issue, Mayor VVRajesh said the corporation had carried out post-Pongal cleaning activities effectively. Regarding the transfer of 10 health inspectors after Pongala, he said it was part of routine administrative measures and not related to Pongala cleanup. As the debate heated up, LDF councilors flocked to the well of the house and raised slogans against the mayor, after which he declared the agenda items approved and ended the meeting.
LDF councilors later staged a protest outside the mayor’s office. CPI(M) councilor SPDeepak told reporters that the corporation had also dumped a large amount of Pongala waste on the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) land near Enchakkal, causing problems to residents in the locality. “We took up the issue after receiving calls from residents’ associations from various parts of the city complaining about the accumulation of garbage after the festival. We are witnessing such a situation for the first time. The LDF will intensify its protests against the Corporation in this regard,” said former mayor K.Sreekumar. City Planning Standing Committee Chairman Pattoor Radhakrishnan had earlier claimed during the council meeting that the previous council was quoting exorbitant amounts for renting out various items for holding events, leading to voices of protest from the LDF.
Published – 11 March 2026 20:49 IST
