📷 Image Credits: Onmanorama
In a tragic incident in Thiruvananthapuram, the body of Joy (47), a sanitation worker, was recovered after a search and rescue operation that lasted for days. Joy had gone missing while clearing the waste under the Amayizhanchan canal at Thampanoor Central Railway Station premises. The search team recovered his body under the Uppilamoodu iron bridge at Pazhavangadi area. The authorities have shifted the body to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for identification, summoning Joy’s family for the process.
The search operation involved a team of the Indian Navy, NDRF, fire force, police, and city corporation workers. Despite the challenges faced due to the massive loads of hard waste in the 140-meter-long canal tunnel, the rescue teams persevered to locate Joy’s body. The incident took place when Joy and two other workers were cleaning the canal near the railway station, and he was swept away by increased water flow during heavy rainfall.
The tragic mishap has sparked a blame game between the state government, municipal, and railway authorities regarding the responsibility for the solid waste accumulation in the canal. The state Human Rights Commission has also intervened, issuing notices to the district collector and municipal corporation secretary to provide explanations and submit detailed reports.
The waste buildup in the canal posed a significant challenge to the search and rescue teams, with officials suspecting that Joy might have been trapped amidst the waste. The authorities have cleared some areas of the canal to facilitate the rescue operations. Requests have been made for expert divers from the Indian Navy to aid in the intensive search effort.
Environmentalists have highlighted the need for better waste management practices and engineering considerations to prevent such tragic incidents in the future. The mishap has shed light on the importance of ensuring the safety of sanitation workers and the proper maintenance of water bodies to avoid similar accidents.
