Kochi: Even as the Kochi Corporation claims to have taken measures to improve functioning of the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant ahead of the National Green Tribunal team visit on January 23, a major fire broke out at the plant on Tuesday night. The huge heaps of plastic garbage caught fire and it took several hours for the Fire and Rescue units from Kak-kanad, Aluva, Gandhi Nagar, Kalamassery, Tri-punithura and Pattimot-tom to douse fire. The fire could not be put out even on Wednesday morning and thick smoke was coming out from garbage heaps.
District collector Muhammad Y Safirulla visited the plant on Tuesday night. Though Corporation health committee chairperson V.K Minimol had earlier denied chances for sabotage, many civic officials doubt conspiracy behind the recurring fire incidents, especially in the wake of the upcoming visit of NGT team.
“If the garbage catch fire during the visit of NGT delegation, it will have adverse impact on the inspection report. Even if fire is doused, the spark will remain and there are chances for another fire as the huge heaps of garbage are kept in open under hot sun,” said V.P Cha-ndran, CPM councillor and member of health standing committee.
On January 1, fire engulfed huge quantities of garbage spread in more than three acres of land in the yard. The reason for the fire is still unknown.
The local residents have been demanding immediate measures to process the huge quantities of non-biodegradable garbage shifted from flooded areas. A total of 2618 truckloads of inorganic waste, nearly 1,110 tonnes, from flood hit areas have been transported to Brahmapuram.
In an earlier incident, a major fire broke out in the plant in February 2013 and it took four days for the firefighters to douse the fire.
Meanwhile, the meeting convened by minister for local self government A.C Moideen to discuss the preparatory measures taken ahead of NGT visit reviewed the situation in Brahmapur-am and the general sanitation condition in the city. The meeting was attended by Mayor Sou-mini Jain, health committee chairperson V.K Minimol, corporation secretary A. S Anuja and opposition leader in the council K.J Antony.
