The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has issued a show-cause notice to the Kochi Corporation for violation of environmental laws in connection with waste management at its Brahmapuram yard.
The notice has been issued by the Chief Environmental Engineer, Ernakulam, based on the directive of the PCB Chairman. The Corporation Secretary will have to submit a reply within 15 days. The civic body was found violating the provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Stating that the Corporation was showing negligence in ensuring proper management of solid waste at Brahmapuram, the notice pointed out that the civic body continued to collect biodegradable waste from other local bodies. It was being done despite the fact that those local bodies were duty-bound to manage waste as per the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000. The Board would be forced to proceed with assessment of environmental damage or imposition of fine in view of the frequent fire outbreaks at the site. Such fire accidents caused damage to the environment in equal or similar proportions, it said.
The Board found that fresh biodegradable waste taken to the plant was not properly segregated as per the directions given earlier. It was dumped over the old heaps of waste lying in dilapidated windrow sheds. Despite several directions by the State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on solid waste management and the Board, the Corporation has not been able to practise spot treatment of fresh waste even after a gap of 10 years.
The Board recalled that the corporation secretaries were given specific instructions on several occasions by the SLMC appointed by the National Green Tribunal not to repeat mismanagement of solid waste and fire accidents.
“It is distressing to note that almost all components of the septage treatment plant were seen kept idle and there was clear evidence for untreated sewage discharge using flexible hose directly through outlet portion which ends in such marshy area. This marshy area is extended to Chithrapuzha River, one of the rivers identified as polluted out of 21 in the State and three in the district,” it said.
