Sub-judge sits near garbage heap, protests against civic body

A judicial officer today sat next to a pile of garbage in a market here, lying uncleared for weeks, prompting the civic authorities to swing into action and remove the waste within hours.

Sub-judge and Secretary of the Ernakulam district legal services authority A M Basheer resorted to the direct action after he was informed by traders at the busy Ernakulam Vegetables and Fruits market that the garbage had been lying for more than a month.

Basheer, who was on an inspection to the market to check shops functioning without licences, took a chair from one of the outlets and sat next to the pile of waste, insisting that he would leave the place only after the rubbish was removed.

The move of the sub-judge was informed to the corporation authorities by the police.

The civic authorities rushed and arranged for clearing the garbage.

Later, Basheer told reporters that he took the step as he came to know of the health risk posed to the students of a school in the neighbourhood.

Sources said the corporation had decided to initiate disciplinary action against its officials whose alleged apathy created the problem.