An emergency high-level meeting held on Wednesday, March 8, in the aftermath of the fire that broke out at Brahmapuram waste treatment plant in Kerala’s Ernakulam district has decided not to allow plastic waste to be transported to waste treatment plant. The Brahmapuram waste treatment plant caught fire on March 2, engulfing several parts of Ernakulam district in smoke.
In the wake of the fire, an emergency high-level meeting was convened by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, including ministers P Rajeev, MB Rajesh, Veena George, Kochi Mayor M Anil Kumar, State Police Chief Anil Kant, District Collector Dr Renu Raj and officials of Air Force, Navy, Disaster Management Authority and Pollution Control Board. It was decided that plastic wastes will not be allowed to be transported to Brahmapuram hereafter.
Further, the CM was also informed that immediate steps were being taken to douse the existing fire and smoke in Brahmapuram. The other decisions include, directing the disposal of bio-waste at the source of generation and repairing the windrow composting system for organic waste treatment. Ernakulam collector Dr Renu Raj 300 fire brigade personnel, 70 other workers, around 50 Hitachi/JCB operators for garbage removal, 31 fire units, 4 helicopters, around 14 high pressure water pumps and 36 Hitachi JCBs are working to control the current situation.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court continued to express its deep displeasure about the authorities' inability to deal with the toxic haze and smog in Brahmapuram. The court, at the previous hearing, said that the state claims to be topmost in literacy and asked if it would like to remain at the top in protecting the environment and implementing solid waste management handling rules. "This cannot be accomplished by a parcel of accomplishment either in a Corporation or a Municipality or a Grama Panchayat," it stated.
On Wednesday, the court slammed all the authorities again and asked the Kerala State Electricity Board to provide electric connections, before 8 pm, at Brahmapuram garbage site so work of the fire fighters can continue. It also asked the Secretary, Local Self Government to ensure that the outcome of the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday should be placed before the court on Friday and it need not be a bulky report, but just bullet points. It also asked the Kochi Corporation secretary to ensure that the waste that is collected should be segregated at the source itself.
(With IANS inputs)