The Kochi Corporation authorities have denied allegations that stench engulfing some of the city suburbs during night hours was generated from its municipal solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.
“Processing of waste comes to an end by 3 p.m. every day at the Brahmapuram plant and waste is not processed during night hours,” said T.K. Ashraf, the chairman of the Health Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation.
The local body regulated the functioning of the plant following similar complaints some six months ago. The officials of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board had inspected the plant site following the complaints but could not find the source of the foul smell, he said.
At the same time, officials of the Board said the Brahmapuram plant and FACT were responsible for the earlier incidents of stench that caused distress in Irumpanam and adjoining areas.
Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide are released when waste is processed at the plant. “Complaints of foul smell reaching parts of Irumpanam and Thripunithura occurred when the piled up waste was processed at the plant during night hours. The odour that emanates from the garbage heaps during the processing is carried to faraway places in wind,” said M.S. Maithili, Chief Environmental Engineer of the Board.
The foul smelling gases from the FCAT too got trapped in atmosphere as there was a fall in night temperature during those days. After inspections, the Board had instructed the corporation to regulate the functioning of the plant. No new complaints of foul smell during night hours had reached the Board so far, barring some telephonic inquiries, she said.
As the residents were not continually exposed to these foul smelling gases, there was no serious health risks involved, she said.
