• Source:JND
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A 42-year-old Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation worker went missing in the Amayizhanjan canal near Thiruvananthapuram railway station on Saturday. The authorities have launched a rescue operation utilising robots from a Kerala-based startup. The worker, identified as Joy, a temporary cleaning staff member, was last seen attempting to clear accumulated waste from the canal.

Efforts to locate the worker continued through the night. The robots, equipped with cameras, were deployed into a manhole adjacent to the railway line to remove pollutants and conduct inspections, local media reported.

The worker is believed to be trapped in a waste-filled tunnel, complicating the rescue mission. Scuba divers, who initially attempted to reach 30 metres inside the tunnel, faced severe challenges due to darkness and congestion, necessitating the use of robots.

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Local reports identified Joy, also known as Christopher, as a resident of Marayamuttom who had previously engaged in scrap collection. His current health condition remains unknown and there is uncertainty as to whether he might have been washed away to another section of the canal.

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The incident also sparked political controversy with Kerala Minister V Sivankutty criticising railway officials for delayed canal cleaning, while Corporation health standing committee chairperson Gayathri Babu accused the Railways of negligence. 

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor condemned the City Corporation, stating, ''The City Corporation’s negligence in cleaning accumulated waste could promote disease. But asking human beings to risk their lives in this way is also inexcusable.''

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