One goal, two projects: Top bureaucrats Divya S Iyer, T V Anupama at loggerheads

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Top bureaucrats Divya S Iyer and T V Anupama are at loggerheads over a waste management initiative under the local self-government department. The two IAS officers announced separate projects aimed at waste disposal. T V Anupama announced a project called ‘Nirmalam’, while Divya S Iyer launched the ‘IC 100 Challenge’.

Nirmalam project, led by Anupama, was announced first. However, Divya S Iyer met the minister and complained that she had not been given due importance in the project. Then a new initiative called the IC 100 Challenge was announced under Divya’s leadership.

Both projects are campaigns involving public participation. As the tussle between local self-government department secretary T V Anupama and principal director Divya S Iyer intensifies, local self-government institutions are in a dilemma over which project to implement.

Soon after reports of both initiatives emerged, the local self-government department clarified that the two projects are different. According to the department, Nirmalam is an extensive five-year project, while the IC 100 Challenge is a 100-day initiative focused on wards.