Thiruvananthapuram: As Beemapally Uroos concludes, there is something positive to look forward to, even as the green protocol remained only partially successful. The drainage near the mosque, which is several decades old, is about to be repaired. Sources in PWD say it got administrative sanction a little before the festival began. A senior PWD official said that they could not start the work before Uroos, as casting the slabs would take at least two weeks. He said work would be started right after the Uroos.
The Rs 2 lakh project, for which AS was granted, is regarded as a temporary facelift. The actual repair of the drainage is estimated to cost Rs 80 lakh, and its AS is still awaited. The corporation is evaluating the implementation of green protocol here. There has not been much campaigning for the same. No awareness drives were taken up, according to councillor Beemapally Rasheed. "Still it could be implemented to a small extent. Shops around the place are adhering to the no-plastic rule. No disposables are being used to serve drinking water and food," he says.
The corporation has deployed 15 cleaning personnel, which is more than last year. There are no green volunteers here, unlike Attukal to ensure no one brings plastic carry bags. Corporation officials say that there was not enough local support, though it was suggested last time. Health Standing Committee chairperson K. Sreekumar says more than half of visitors are from outside the state, and implementing it would have been difficult. "The next year, we will start campaigning early enough in Beemapally so that it can be implemented well," he says.
