The State-Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management has asked the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) to ensure that the demolition of four apartment buildings at Maradu is carried out without giving room for any complaints related to environment pollution.
Meanwhile, with the four flats set to be pulled down this weekend, the agencies tasked with the implosion have begun loading explosives into Alfa Serene.
A directive issued by the committee, appointed by the National Green Tribunal, said the PCB could proceed against the violators, if necessary.
The board has informed the committee that there will be dust and noise pollution during the implosion and at the time of segregation of debris.
Construction materials from the demolition would be handed over to crushers. The board will closely monitor pollution in the demolition area.
Contracts
The contracts for the demolition of flats were issued and pre-demolition works were almost complete. As per the contract, all salvages, including steel, will be taken by the bidders.
It is the responsibility of the Maradu municipality to dispose of the debris.
The board said conditions had been included in the agreement signed between the Maradu municipality and the agencies involved in the demolition process stating that steps would be taken to mitigate air pollution immediately after blasting and during the period required for separation of steel from concrete.
The technical committee constituted by the government has given instructions to cover the compound up to a height of 10 metres to avoid flying of debris and to control dust pollution during the process of blasting.
The agreement has directions to use sprinklers so as to control the dust pollution during the process of separating steel from concrete blocks.
The contractors had said that they would use jack hammers for the work.
The board pointed out that trenches of 1.5 metres to 3 metres depth would be set up around each plot boundary to reduce the vibration emerging out of the implosion.
The agencies involved expect that the debris of the demolished towers may not reach the nearby Vembanad Lake.
However, the officials involved remain in the dark on how the final impact will be on the lake.
The SLMC was also informed that the municipality had provided insurance coverage for all nearby residents for one year from the date of the demolition.
