Sanitation Worker Missing After Being Swept Away in Kerala Canal Cleanup

A temporary sanitation worker named Joy was swept away on Saturday morning while cleaning the Amayizhanchan canal in the state capital, police reported. Joy, along with two other workers, was cleaning the Thampanoor section of the canal when heavy rainfall increased the water flow. "As the flow increased, we got out of the canal, but Joy couldn't," one of his co-workers said.

Rescue Efforts and Challenges

Despite 12 hours of rescue efforts, Joy, a resident of Marayamuttom, remains missing, according to police officials. Fire department officials, police, city corporation workers, and others, including the city mayor, were present at the site. Efforts continued even at midnight to clear accumulated plastic waste. The officials noted that the canal was filled with plastic and hard waste, which hampered rescue operations.

The temporary workers, including Joy, were employed by a contractor who had secured a contract from the Railways to clean the part of the canal within its territory. Joy was swept away while under a 200-metre-long canal tunnel running beneath the railway station tracks. Earlier in the day, authorities removed loads of waste from the tunnel entrance to facilitate scuba divers' entry. However, divers could not go beyond 40 metres.

Authorities' Response and Equipment Deployment

Authorities are currently attempting rescue efforts through a manhole inside Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station. The manhole is situated between two platforms. Corporation authorities have called for deploying the Bandicoot robot, used across the state to clean drainage lines. Minister V Sivankutty and Mayor Arya Rajendran visited the accident site.

The mayor stated that reminders were sent to the Railways to clear the part of the canal within its property limit. Sivankutty mentioned that both the corporation and government were ready to clean the tunnel, but the Railway refused permission. "The Railways always took a stand that it was their property and that they would clean it," Sivankutty said. He added that full responsibility for waste accumulation falls on the Railways.

Joy was swept away while he was under a 200-metre-long canal tunnel which runs under the tracks at the railway station. Earlier in the day, authorities removed loads of waste from the entrance of the tunnel to facilitate entry for scuba divers. The divers could not go beyond 40 metres.

The mayor said that even though the tunnel does not come under corporation jurisdiction, they decided to proceed with rescue operations to save Joy. The rains were hampering rescue efforts as they tried to clear plastic waste from the canal.

Efforts are ongoing through various means to locate Joy and ensure his safety amidst challenging conditions caused by heavy rainfall and accumulated waste in the canal.