Mission to rescue worker 'trapped' in Kerala's Amayizhanjan canal prolongs; robots deployed | Video
Thiruvananthapuram: Efforts continued throughout the night to locate and rescue a worker reportedly trapped in the Amayizhanjan canal on Saturday.
Two robots from Genrobotics, a Kerala-based startup, have been deployed for inspection. They were inserted into the manhole adjacent to the railway line near the canal. Equipped with cameras, the robots are tasked with removing pollutants and conducting inspections.
Joy, a temporary staff member of the cleaning department at Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and a resident of Marayamuttom, went missing earlier in the day while attempting to clear accumulated waste from the canal.
Joy is reportedly trapped inside a tunnel filled with waste, presenting a significant challenge to the rescue operation. Despite efforts by scuba divers to reach 30 meters inside the tunnel, their attempts proved unsuccessful due to darkness and congestion, forcing them to crawl on their knees. It was at this juncture that the robots were deployed.
Meanwhile, it also remains unclear whether the person was washed away to another point in the water stretch. His health condition is also unknown.
According to local reports, Joy, also known as Christopher, was hired for the cleaning job by contractors involved in railway works. The missing individual had been living with his mother and previously engaged in scrap collection and sales.
Political controversy
Minister V Sivankutty criticised railway officials for the delayed cleaning of the canal. Similarly, Corporation health standing committee chairperson Gayathri Babu alleged that the Railways had neglected canal cleaning even after a week.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor targeted Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, stating, “Dismayed by the incompetence and irresponsibility of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation that resulted in the disappearance of a man... The City Corporation’s negligence in cleaning accumulated waste could promote the spread of disease. But asking human beings to risk their lives in this way is also inexcusable”.