Firefighters and rescue workers try to douse the fire inside the Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant. file | Photo Credit: Tulsi Kakkat
A writ petition was filed in the Kerala High Court on Monday seeking a direction to the state government to investigate the Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant fire and another direction to the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) to register the case . Report on the current status on the site.
Meanwhile, Justice Devan Ramachandran wrote to the Chief Justice seeking suo motu cognizance of the incident.
The petition, filed by a resident of Vytila, has also sought complete records related to the award of biomining contract to a Bengaluru-based firm from the PCB and the investigation reports of 18 fires at the plant. The petitioner alleged that the firm was not qualified to enter into the contract and it was due to its lapse that the fire broke out.
The plea has also sought a direction to the state government to frame necessary welfare schemes to deal with the health hazards to the general public from the foul smell emanating from the smoldering waste.
The petitioner said that every year the plant would catch fire and the corporation would spend crores of rupees to contain it and solve the health hazards to the people.
The state government and the corporation tried various methods to remove the huge pile of waste lying in the plant, but they could not find any suitable method. It is alleged that the garbage was intentionally set on fire.
The petitioner stated that despite various incidents of fire in the plant, the PCB had not conducted a property study of the cause of the fire. Also, the health officers of the corporation remained mute spectators without discharging their duties.