Stalemate over waste

Kochi: The city corporation is facing a major crisis as waste removal from the city and outskirts, which has been hit for six days may not be resumed immediately. The Vadavukodu – Puth-encruz panchayat, whe-re the corporation’s ill-fated Brahmapuram wa-ste treatment plant is situated, has threatened to block garbage trucks until proper safety me-asures are taken by the civic administration.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Vadavukodu – Puthencruz panchayat president P. K Velayudhan has made it clear that until the plant functioning is streamlined with proper safety mechanism, garbage dumping will not be allowed. “We are not even able to have food due to pungent smell from the waste dumping yard. The corporation has totally failed in fulfilling the promises given over years. Proper waste treatment was done only for one year after setting up the plant,” he alleged.

The panchayat authorities also alleged involvement of the corporation in the massive fire mishap. “The corporation has deliberately torched the garbage heaps. Otherwise, fire will not break out simultaneously in the garbage heaps from many places in the yard. We have objected the plant even when the proposal was mooted and series of the promises given by the civic administration on streamlining plant functioning still remain on paper,” the panchayat members said.

“There is no facility for treating garbage at Brahmapuram and it is just a dumping yard. We will not allow waste dumping anymore.”

They also alleged that stray dogs caught from city areas are released in the panchayat after sterilising. Also sewage waste transported to the treatment plant  is dum-ped in open places and wetlands. Meanwhile, heaps of garbage started appearing on roadsides and streets in the city. Transportation of garb-age including organic and plastic refuse from city and outskirts has been hit for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday.