Vilappilsala garbage issue; police arrest agitators

Monday, February 13, 2012: Thousands of agitators including the women and children who are staging a sit-in-protest in the Vilappilsala area have been arrested and removed by the police.
The police used brutal force to arrest the agitators which led to a scuffle between the police and the protesters. Even though the police requested the agitators to retreat and allow the garbage movement to Vilappilsala plant, they refused.
A tense situation is prevailing in Vilappilsala after the garbage laden trucks reached the area with full police protection amid the strong protests raised by the thousands of agitators including women and children.
The agitators are staging a sit-in-protest and shouting slogans demanding the police to retreat from the area. Meanwhile the police requested the agitators to allow the garbage movement to Vilappilsala plant on the basis of the High Court directive.
The Janakeeya Samara Samithy along with the local residents of the Vilappilsala have informed that they would at any cost block the corporation vehicles laden with garbage. Meanwhile the Corporation has informed that they would resume the garbage movement to the Vilappilsala plant with tight police protection.
The Corporation will first process the accumulated un-treated garbage inside the plant before resuming collection and transportation of garbage from the city.
Vilappilsala waste treatment plant was reopened on February 4 amid the protest from the Janakeeya Samiti and the panchayath. A team led by ADM PK Girija entered the plant after breaking open the lock with the help of police. A large posse of police had been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incidents.
The Kerala High Court in its order earlier directed the state government to reopen the Vilappilsala solid waste treatment plant and allow entry of garbage vehicles into the plant. The court also ordered the government to provide necessary police protection to the plant.