Brahmapuram fire | KSPCB to crack whip on Corporation, slaps civic body with fresh environment compensation fine

Ernakulam District Collector Renu Raj said the help of Air Force would be sought if the efforts to contain the fire and smoke remained unsuccessful

The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is set to issue a fresh notice to Kochi Corporation slapping the civic body with a fine for environment compensation in the wake of the recent fire breakout at its solid waste treatment plant in Brahmapuram.

This will be in addition to the notice issued to the Corporation back in January 2021 asking it to remit ₹14.92 crore as environment compensation for its failure to comply with norms under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 despite repeated directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Corporation had since then obtained a Kerala High Court stay on the notice.

“We will issue a notice to the Corporation imposing fresh environment compensation over and above the fine imposed in the past. Simultaneously, we will initiate steps to get the stay on our past notice vacated. We will also obtain legal opinion about initiating prosecution measures against the Corporation,” said A.B. Pradeep Kumar, Chairman, KSPCB.

In a report submitted before the Southern Bench of the NGT last year, KSPCB had pointed out that a show-cause notice had been issued to the Corporation Secretary in March 2021, asking why action, including prosecution measures, should not be taken for repeated violations at Brahmapuram and fire incidents caused by the piling up of old waste at the site. KSPCB, however, has not initiated prosecution measures against the Corporation.

Mr. Kumar said that the Corporation had repeatedly ignored the KSPCB’s directions to install water sprinklers and other fire fighting equipment at the Brahmapuram plant, which had been witnessing repeated fires over the last many years.

“Even if the fire is brought under control, smoke remains an issue owing to the hot and humid conditions. Though the particulate matter remains high, the air quality hasn’t yet deteriorated to extreme levels. As per the readings in the morning, it remains moderate as per the air quality index,” said Mr. Kumar.

He said that there is hardly any technology available to control the smoke and if the situation deteriorates the only available solution for the people is to stay indoors. KSPCB is in consultations with IIT Madras over deploying air purifiers though it has little impact when harmful air is spread over a vast area.