Kochi and suburban areas have been breathing poison-polluted air for the last one week since the fire broke out in Brahmapuram wasteland, hardly 14 km away from Kochi city.
Fog-like clouds and the sharp smell of fuming plastic have caused lung-related diseases like suffocation, breathing problems, cough, asthma and other pulmonary issues, headache, paresthesia and burning sensation in the eyes, and dermatitises.
People do not know what to do or where to go. A massive evacuation is not practical. There are places where people do not sleep in the house and spend the nights in open places. Some people are scared about a Bhopal-like holocaust. Some moved out to “safer” places within the Ernakulam district or even neighbouring districts. Only lucky souls could afford it.
During the middle of the night, only own vehicle could facilitates it. Then the next question: If at all you move out, where do you go ?” Now, the administration has declared holidays for the schools in Kochi, the only thing they can do. And interestingly, the poisonous fume has crossed the Ernakulam district borders.
Brahmapuram has been the wasteland of Kochi for the last several decades, where garbage and waste from Kochi and suburban areas are dumped. It was having about 5.4 lakhs cubic metres of mountainous plastic waste lying on a 40-acre land at Brahmapuram.
The reason behind the fire is a one-million-dollar question. Authorities still are not hinting at any proper reason for the fire. Now, there are hints of man-made mishaps in the air. Even Kerala High Court asked this question.
The latest development is the allegation spreading in mainstream electronic and print media about the involvement of the kins of CPM and Congress leaders in the bio-mining contract in the Brahpuram wasteland. Here are the allegations doing the rounds in the media:
“The Rs 55 cr contract for segregating the mountains of waste in Brahmapuram had been awarded, by Municipal Corporation of Kochi, to Zonta Infra Tech, a Banglore–based institution with Rajkumar Chellappan, the son-in-law of the former ruling Left Democratic Front and senior CPM leader Vaikkom Vishwan, at the helm along with others. The same had been awarded the contract for constructing a plant to generate electricity from the waste and for bio-mining. But, when the work started, Congressmen led by a Pradesh Committee general secretary started to bring hassles. Then came the typical political settlement: Subcontract was awarded to a company controlled by the same leader’s son !! ”
When the fire in the plastic waste turned a permanent issue, National Green Tribunal interfered. They ordered bio-mining to remove the mountains of waste.
There is around 5.4 lakh cubic metres of mountainous plastic waste lying in a 40-acre area, but Brahmapuram’s real problem could be the ‘lack of official accountability’. Now, an argument has arisen that according to the contract inked by Zonta Infra Tech and Kochi Corporation, there is no provision for any sub-contract. It is raised even by Congress leaders themselves. Zonta was assigned in July 2021. The condition was to finish the job in nine months and return the land.
But, they could not do the job within that specific time frame. Accordingly, the time was extended to July 2023. Then came the controversial decision: Rs 11 cr was awarded as a mobilisation fund. Now, only five months are left for completion, but even half of the waste remains unremoved. A big fire broke out when Subcontractor’s work was going on. Waste was dumped in separate heaps which do not touch each other. The idea was to make sure that fire, if at all takes place, would not spread. But, in this particular case, the fire broke out in all heaps at a time. This causes mystery. This is the reason behind the allegation of sabotage”.
Fire Brigade and Indian Navy have been working hard to extinguish the fire. But burning and fuming are still not controlled. Fire Brigade work round-the-clock, sill the putting out of the fire remains a dream.
The issue has a lot to do with corruption in the Kochi Corporation. The plastic treatment plant installed there years back, which did cost crores of rupees, is nothing but a showpiece. Plastic waste was just dumped there. Kochi Corporation sheds 30 to 35 lakhs of rupees for private agencies to operate the Brahmapuram plant. The estimation hints that 250 tons are expected to be treated there every month.
Media’s allegation continues: “It was erected in 2007 only to crumble down in 2009! Then started, the golden harvest by the ‘nobles’ with vested interests. A private agency was assigned. A single agency continued the contract for 12 consecutive years. They greased a lot of political palms. When some others realised that it was worth lakhs after lakhs, they thought, ‘why can’t we ?’ Then came the new company despite opposition from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) that the company did not have adequate practical experience. The controversial matter is now under Vigilance enquiry.
Another corruption game is with the vehicles owned by Corporations. Carrier vehicles are always down due to one or another fault. Since workshop payment is always trapped in red tape, repairs, in most cases, are mere dreams. Then come rented vehicles. That is another source of corruption. That is the case with the earth movers, also. Owners are more than pleased to rent out their machines to Corporations, thanks to the ‘obvious reasons’. Kochi Corporation-owned 23 lorries are immobile, and Rs 80 lakhs were spent on lorry rent. Expense heads are innumerable. But, the total monthly expense Kochi Corporation incurs is Rs 1.5 crores.”
Atmospheric pollution is alarming, and the Kochiites are left with sleepless nights. PCB’s statistics speak out where Kochi stands. Kochi’s pollution level is frightening. Kochi’s atmosphere fell into “bad” quality first time in history, according to Air Quality Index (AQI).
On March 7, it was 223, while Delhi’s was 257. It establishes that Kochi and suburban areas breathe poisonous air. Major factors of atmospheric pollution are P.M. 2.5 and P.M. 10. Here in Kochi, 2.5 rises to 465 and P.M. 10 to 432. Even a healthy man cannot stand such polluted air.
Now, Kerala High Court has moved into suo motu action. Court summoned Kochi Corporation Secretary and PCB Chairman. The court asked the officials to take quick and effective steps to extinguish the fire. Instruction was issued by the Division Bench consisting of Justice S V Bhatti and Justice Basanth Balaji. Justice Bhatti said he had to stop his morning walk and return home as he suffered nausea. Court said that Kochi was in a gas chamber. There are media reports that Justice Devan Ramachandran had given a letter to the Chief Justice in this regard. The court asked the officials above and the district collector to be present before the court the next day.
When the bureaucrats appeared before the court on March 8, the court asked them to go for a time-bound programme to put out the fire. The court even blamed, had officials, including the district collector, taken adequate steps, the current disasters could have been averted. Collector took an escape line stating that she had warned Kochi Corporation before the fire broke out. The court asked if she had discharged the responsibilities of ‘District Disaster Management Authority.” Court rejected the Kochi Corporation Secretary’s claim that “fire is under control”. Court went to the extent of telling the PCB that if they could not do the job, the assistance of the Central Pollution Control Board would be sought. Court asked the Kochi Corporation Secretary to notify the institutions operating sans waste treatment facilities.
Court asked the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to reinstate power supply within four hours for operating water hydrants. Because Adv. General informed the court that they work on generators. High Court stated that a similar fire could break out in part of Kerala. It is too easy to say that people sit with doors and windows locked. Court wondered if there was any guarantee that poisonous smoke would not enter such houses.
Former Kochi Mayor and Congress leader Tony Chammany has announced he would implead the case taken by the High Court of Kerala. He alleged blatant corruption behind the disaster. Now Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and Congress are in the streets to agitate against the authorities in the light of the ‘Gas Chamber’ in Kochi.
But, authorities seem to be engaged in applying ‘cosmetic treatment’. For example, Ernakulam district collector is transferred to Wayanad; it is enough for them to enjoy some sort of euphoria that they have done the needful.
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