Thiruvananthapuram: UDF councillors laid seige to the DMO’s office near General Hospital. 17 councillors protested at the DMO office, and during the gherao, 13 councillors were forcefully removed from the scene by the police. Johnson Joseph, D Anilkumar, V R Sini and Sheeba Patrick were among the UDF councillors who were taken to Cantonment police station. Johnson Joseph said that they had gone to seek answers from the DMO as to why the fever control operations were taking place in a dull manner. The DMO had used derogatory remarks against women councillors, he claimed.
However DMO Jose D D'Cruz said that the councillors were obstructing his work and it was when they were removed by the police that they raised the fake allegations of "derogatory remarks". “We had to send exact numbers of the additional staff needed in hospitals. As I was preparing the list, they came in. When they demanded to know the current situation, all data was given to them. Inspite of that, they started shouting slogans. Because of this, a meeting with Kudumbashree to discuss dry day preparations also did not take place,” he said.
BJP councillors meanwhile have been holding protests demanding the Mayor’s resignation in all 100 wards, alleging it was the Corporation’s inefficiency which had worsened the dengue situation in the capital. When asked about the protests, Mayor V K Prasanth said that the BJP and UDF councillors were conducting protests at a time when the councillors’ support was needed to conduct source reduction. He said that the LDF wondered whether many councillors were deliberately being non-cooperative, for political reasons.
As per the data available with the Corporation, until June 17, 1,87,057 house visits and source reduction activities were organised. Of 1871 drains, 733 had been cleaned. 1169 fogging activities had been completed. Corporation officials say around 10 of the 20 fogging machines ordered as part of last year’s project was yet to arrive. There was a shortage of fogging machines as it was in high demand, they said. The Corporation has started night surveillance with 315 people posted near various regular dumping points. It is most intensive at Jagathy, Manacaud, Sreekaryam and Secretariat circles. Around two people have been caught from each circle according to Corporation officials.
