The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has slapped Kochi Corporation with a fine of Rs. 1.80 crore towards environment compensation in the wake of the recent fire breakout at its solid waste treatment plant in Brahmapuram.
This will be in addition to the notice issued to the Corporation back in January 2021 asking it to remit ₹14.92 crore as environment compensation for its failure to comply with norms under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 despite repeated directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Corporation had since then obtained a Kerala High Court stay on the notice.
“We have issued the notice imposing environment compensation of Rs. 1.80 crore to the Corporation, which has 15 days to respond it. The fresh fine is for failing to comply with the norms under the Solid Waste Management Rules since the last notice while the fine based on damage assessment will follow suit. Simultaneously, we will initiate steps to get the stay on our past notice vacated. The Ernakulam chief engineer has also been asked to initiate prosecution measures against the Corporation,” said A.B. Pradeep Kumar, Chairman, KSPCB.
In a report submitted before the Southern Bench of the NGT last year, KSPCB had pointed out that a show-cause notice had been issued to the Corporation Secretary in March 2021, asking why action, including prosecution measures, should not be taken for repeated violations at Brahmapuram and fire incidents caused by the piling up of old waste at the site. KSPCB, however, has not initiated prosecution measures against the Corporation.
Mr. Kumar said that the Corporation had repeatedly ignored the KSPCB’s directions to install water sprinklers and other fire fighting equipment at the Brahmapuram plant, which had been witnessing repeated fires over the last many years.
“Even if the fire is brought under control, smoke remains an issue owing to the hot and humid conditions. Though the particulate matter remains high, the air quality hasn’t yet deteriorated to extreme levels. As per the readings in the morning, it remains moderate as per the air quality index,” said Mr. Kumar.
He said that there is hardly any technology available to control the smoke and if the situation deteriorates the only available solution for the people is to stay indoors. KSPCB is in consultations with IIT Madras over deploying air purifiers though it has little impact when harmful air is spread over a vast area.
