Thiruvananthapuram: General Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty, on Friday, said that the government will not tolerate lapses in the post-Attukal Pongala clean-up operations and has tasked the Thiruvananthapuram Revenue Divisional Office (RDO) with inspecting the work and submitting an urgent report.

In a press release issued, the minister said clean-up operations have been progressing in several parts of the city after the festival. However, media reports have pointed to delays in waste removal and lapses in sanitation in certain areas.

Sivankutty said the city must be cleaned at the earliest after the festival, which drew lakhs of devotees, to ensure public health and smooth traffic. He added that the RDO has been directed to conduct a field inspection to identify any lapses in the clean-up operations and submit an urgent report.

The minister said the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is responsible for the sanitation work. Authorities will take strict action to address any shortcomings, he added. The government remains committed to resolving the difficulties faced by the public and restoring the city to normalcy, the minister said.