Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Tuesday, March 14, told the Assembly that the failure to segregate waste and the subsequent accumulation of legacy waste at the Brahmapuram dumpyard in Kochi had made it difficult to douse the fire which broke out on March 2. The CM made a detailed statement in the state Assembly listing out the actions taken to contain the fire which was extinguished on March 13. Legacy waste refers to unsegregated waste dumped at Brahmapuram since its inception.
The CM said the method adopted to contain the fire at Brahmapuram by stirring the waste and pumping in water was efficient and that no serious health issues were reported in the aftermath of the fire. Stating that steps would be taken to ensure all kinds of waste are processed and treated in the state as per existing rules and regulations, the CM said strict action would be taken against violators. "Kerala would not be able to stand protests organised by those with vested interest against waste treatment plants," the CM said.
The statement was made under the rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, which deals with statements that may be made by a minister on matters of public importance with the consent of the Speaker. The rule does not allow questions to be asked at the time the statement is made. The fire was doused through coordinated efforts on a war footing by different agencies, including the Indian Navy, Air Force, Cochin Port Trust, under the leadership of Fire and Rescue Services, the CM said.
This is the first time that the CM has come out with a response on the action taken by the government to bring the situation under control and the future plan of action. The CM said that it was the legacy waste accumulated over the years that caught fire. “The fact that the waste was piled up in several layers and the fire was burning six metres deep, posed a big challenge to extinguishing it,” he said. According to an estimate Brahmapuram dump site had 5.5 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste.
> Around 250 fire and rescue personnel worked round the clock in two shifts to douse the fire. A total of 32 fire tenders, several Hitachi earth movers and high capacity motor pumps were utilised in the operation in which 2000 firemen and 500 civil defence volunteers participated.
> The fire officials adopted the method of stirring the garbage and then pumping water to extinguish the fire.
> As per available statistics around 1335 persons sought treatment in government-run and private healthcare facilities following the incident. Out of them 21 needed hospital admission.
> Special wards were set up in Ernakulam Medical College and two nearby Taluk hospitals. In addition to this, 100 beds with oxygen facilities in the district hospital, a smoke casualty in Kalamassery hospital and mobile units were also kept ready at the Ernakulam Medical College and two taluk hospitals.
> A system for continuous monitoring of ambient air quality was introduced from March 4, and safety guidelines were issued asking pregnant women, children and the elderly to avoid going out and wear a mask if they had to.
> An Empowered Committee has been formed under Section 24 E of the Disaster Management Act. The committee has been empowered to ensure efficient treatment of waste at Brahmapuram and to implement the action plan in a time-bound manner. The activities at Brahmapuram would be monitored daily by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Local Self Government (LSG) Department. A weekly review would be carried out by the ministers in charge of Industries and LSG departments.
> A comprehensive health survey is being undertaken at Brahmapuram and nearby areas to understand the health impact due to the fire incident. A study to understand long-term impact on health due to compounds in soil and water and their presence in human bodies will also be undertaken, the CM said.
> In the context of the Brahmapuram fire, the government has initiated steps to bring in international expertise for waste management. The government will be holding talks with a World Bank delegation on March 21-23 in this regard.
A special investigation team of the police will probe the criminal case registered in connection with the fire. A probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau will also be ordered.
> An expert committee will be formed to ascertain the reasons behind the fire and come out with recommendations to avoid it in the future. The committee will also inquire if the existing plant is suitable for solid waste dumping and treatment. It would probe whether the guidelines issued by the State Pollution Control Board were followed and who all are responsible for the lapses. The committee will conduct the inquiry based on the following terms of reference:
> Did the Kochi Municipal Corporation monitor the work at Brahmapuram? Who was responsible for it? Were defects pointed out in the work?
> What steps have been taken by the contractors to rectify the defects pointed out?
> Why was the waste from other local bodies in the Kochi Corporation accumulated here?
> What are the factors affecting the performance of the currently installed windrow composting plant?
> Who is responsible for the deplorable condition and mismanagement of the windrow composting plant?
> What is the extent to which each party complied with the obligations of the Corporation and the contract signed in connection with the implementation of the bioremediation process?