Thiruvananthapuram: A man went missing while cleaning the Pazhavangadi canal here on Saturday. Joy, who is reported to be a resident of Anamugham, Perumkadavila panchayat, disappeared when he entered the canal, which passes by the Central Railway station. It is suspected that he got stuck in a garbage pile. A search operation has been launched for Joy.

The incident occurred opposite the Indian Coffee House near the parcel office. This section of the canal is frequently clogged with waste, particularly plastic trash, flowing in from various parts of the city. The flood report from the Irrigation Department noted that the primary cause of flooding in the Thampanoor area is the blockage of the tunnel passing under the Central Railway station.

The fire brigade received the alert around 11 am about a man being trapped under the slab. "Initially, we were informed that a man was trapped, but upon arriving at the scene, we realised that he had gone missing in the canal. A team of scuba divers has been deployed. The search is underway," said a fire and rescue official.

In a meeting convened by District Collector recently, Railway authorities were directed to clear the canal which was filled with waste blocking the smooth flow of water. Joy was one among the labourers employed by the contractor who was assigned by the Railways to do the work.

 Officials from the Major Irrigation Department mentioned that the canal had been cleaned twice, and during heavy rainfall when the canal flow is strong, they do not undertake cleaning activities.