Perinthalmanna: As employment guarantee workers ran out of workdays before the ward could be fully cleaned, a municipal councillor in Perinthalmanna bought a brush cutter and took over the clean-up programme himself.

E P Arun, councillor of Ward 19 (Thanneerpanthal), one of the largest wards in the Perinthalmanna municipality, purchased the machine with his own money and has been clearing overgrown grass and shrubs along roads and public spaces.

Workers under the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme had been deployed to clean drains and public spaces in the ward. By the time the drainage work was completed, however, the annual quota of 100 workdays under the scheme had been exhausted, leaving several roadsides and open spaces overgrown with weeds and shrubs.

With complaints about overgrown roadsides and public spaces mounting, Arun chose to act rather than wait for additional funds or workers. He bought a brush cutter with his own money and launched the clean-up drive himself.

For over a week now, the councillor has been moving from one locality to another, clearing overgrown grass and shrubs across the ward. On Wednesday, he cleaned the Ayurvedic Hospital Road and its surroundings before taking up the Vattappara area on Thursday.
Arun says he will continue the drive until every part of the ward is free of overgrown grass and shrubs.