Thiruvananthapuram: Health Inspector K Ganesh Kumar was on Wednesday suspended for his failure to stop a private company from discharging waste into the Amayizhanjan canal, where a cleaning worker died recently. Mayor Arya Rajendran issued the suspension order following an internal investigation. Dereliction of duty and no response from the official, when contacted as part of taking action against the firm, were the reasons cited for the suspension.

Ganesh, who is the Secretariat Circle Health Inspector, is in charge of Rajaji Nagar, Palayam and Thampanoor, through which the Amayizhanjan canal passes. The action was taken after the internal probe conducted by the Corporation's health department found serious lapses on Ganesh's part.

Protests had taken place against Thiruvananthapuram Corporation following the death of cleaning worker Joy, whose body was found after 46 hours of searching in the Amayizhanjan canal. The Corporation's action follows the criticism that enough steps were not being taken to prevent waste dumping in the area.