Segregated waste collection hub in front of councillor R.Sreelekha’s office closed down

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A banner in front of the Sasthamangalam health circle office which says that collection of waste in front of the office has been completely banned

The segregated dry waste collection hub in front of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation health circle office at Sasthamangalam, which also houses Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor R.Sreelekha’s office, has been closed down.

The dry waste collection facility, with bins for segregated collection of glass, plastic, cloth, tin, paper waste and old footwear ad bags, has been popular with the people in the locality ever since it opened here over 8 years ago. When The Hindu contacted Ms.Sreelekha, she said that the separate collection bins were removed as some people had sustained injuries while trying to put waste inside the old iron bins. However, later she said that large amounts of waste accumulated in front of the office was causing problems. “Would anyone allow waste to be collected in front of their house? Now, I have provided alternate space for the waste disposal unit at the car shed,” she said. However, a banner attached to the office gate says that collection of waste in front of the office has been completely banned and that legal action will be initiated against those who do so. The order, signed by the Corporation secretary, further says that non biodegradable waste has to be handed over to the Haritha Karma Sena in the respective wards. There is no mention of an alternate arrangement as the councillor claimed. Early in January, after the BJP took power in the Corporation, Ms.Sreelekha had demanded the Corporation’s health wing to shift the dry waste collection hub in front of her office building. The facility was set up when former Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] MLA V.K.Prasanth, was occupying the office building.