Thiruvananthapuram: In a renewed push to protect the heavily polluted Amayizhanjan canal, the city corporation has decided to constitute a special three-member squad for 24-hour surveillance to prevent garbage from being dumped into the water body. The civic body has issued an order in this regard and the squads are expected to be deployed shortly along vulnerable stretches of the canal.According to corporation officials, the members would take turns to monitor both day and night activities on the canal banks where waste dumping has remained a persistent problem. The move comes amid mounting public pressure and repeated complaints from residents living along the canal, who say dumping often occurs during late hours.
As part of strengthening enforcement, the corporation will also strictly monitor footage from CCTV cameras installed along the canal through the integrated command and control centre (ICCC) functioning at the corporation office. Officials said the ICCC would enable real-time surveillance and quicker response to violations, allowing authorities to identify offenders and initiate action without delay. The civic body has also sought the assistance of the city police to support enforcement efforts. Police patrols are expected to work in coordination with the special squad, particularly in identified dumping hotspots. “Preventing waste dumping requires continuous monitoring and strong enforcement. The special squad, CCTV surveillance and police support will help us address this issue more effectively,” a senior corporation official said. ‘G Spider functional’: Meanwhile, the corporation has dismissed allegations circulating on social media that the recently introduced G-Spider robotic canal-cleaning system has become dysfunctional. The AI-enabled robotic system was deployed as part of the corporation’s modernisation drive to remove waste from canals without exposing sanitation workers to health hazards. Responding to the criticism, a corporation official clarified that the robot has not failed but the cleaning operations were temporarily halted at certain locations due to practical limitations. “The cleaning was stopped for a while as robotic cleaning is not suitable at all locations. The canal has varying widths, depth and obstructions, and the robot cannot be used everywhere,” the official said. The corporation maintained that the G-Spider system remains functional and will continue to be used in stretches where conditions permit, alongside conventional cleaning methods.
