Thiruvananthapuram: A cleaning operation with a tight deadline was conducted in city soon after Pongala. As soon as the ritual ended at around 2.15 pm, some 2,80 civic workers sprung up into action. Streets were cleared of bricks, ashes and other waste by 4 pm The main streets were then washed using water tankers and fire engines at 9 pm after allowing dust to settle. The city which lacks a permanent waste disposal system after the closure of Vilappilsala factory in 2012, used around 100 trucks to clear up the waste.
While main roads come under the purview of civic workers, volunteers and local residents washed up the bylanes on their own. “It seemed around 2.40 pm that it will rain like in some previous years. So we had fast tracked the work and finished it by 3.30 pm,” said Girish S., a civic worker in Fort. Workers advised two-wheeler riders to use helmets with visor for few days to avoid ash particulates from harming eyes. Mayor V.K. Prasanth expressed gratitude to all civic workers for the cleaning drive. The corporation provided refreshments. Corporation officials said that the amount of plastic waste has come down drastically from previous years due to better awareness.
