The massive fire at the solid waste treatment plant of the Kochi Corporation at Brahmapuram has set off legal and political implications besides the health hazards.
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The issue has been taken up by various agencies including the Kerala High Court and the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC).
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court will consider the issue on Tuesday even as the Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan brought up the issue in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday. The SHRC intervened in the issue with its chairperson asking the authorities to explain the steps taken for controlling the smoke from the charred plastic waste.
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Antony Dominic, chairperson of the Commission, asked the State Chief Secretary, Ernakulam District Collector, the Environmental Engineer of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, and the secretary of the Kochi Corporation to explain within a fortnight the steps taken for preventing the smoke.
The Commission initiated suo moto steps following media reports on health issues due to smoke in different parts of the city and adjoining areas.
Congress leader Benny Behanan, MP, demanded a High Court-monitored probe into what he termed as corruption in the running of the waste treatment plant.
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Inaugurating the Kochi Corporation march organised by the UDF on Monday, Mr. Behanan said the civic authorities of Kochi had laid the grounds for corruption at Brahmapuram even before floating the tender document for bio-mining of the legacy waste.
The State government and the Kochi Corporation went out of the way to award the contract for bio-mining to the close relatives of an LDF leader. The company was allowed extra time for removing the plastic waste that was converted into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) in violation of the contractual commitment. The act of the district administration to allow the RDF to be reduced to ashes was an upfront on the people of Kochi, he alleged.
Mr. Behanan alleged that the local body failed to promptly respond to the fire incident. The State government shall take a critical look at the performance of the District Collector at the time of the crisis, he demanded.
Janakeeya Prathirodha Samithi, a people’s collective, demanded that the medical expenses of those who were hit by the smoke be borne by the State government. Steps for processing the waste without causing pollution shall be undertaken at Brahmapuram, demanded the organisation.