KOCHI: Following the directions of National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has decided to initiate prosecution proceedings against the Kochi Corporation secretary for the unscientific handling of waste at the Brahmapuram plant. Besides facing legal action, the civic body will be fined `13.3 crore for disregarding Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, at the plant.
“The PCB chairman has given the go-ahead to initiate prosecution procedures against the corporation secretary in the mishandling of rules at the Brahmapuram waste plant. We have approached our legal advisor for taking further steps,” said M A Baiju, PCB chief environmental engineer.
PCB will also file a complaint against the corporation in the magistrate court. The civic body has already discontinued the existing plant and has been dumping the daily collection of garbage on existing legacy waste. Following the cancellation of the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation has floated a new tender with a September 4 deadline to submit bids.
In its July 31 order, the NGT bench had said it was PCB’s responsibility to begin prosecution and recovering the fine compensation from the corporation. It said the PCB chairman and member secretary will be held liable for PCB’s failure to implement the order. NGT will hear the case in the third week of September.
Final verdict on WTE plant on Sept 7
The High Court will pronounce its final verdict in the petition of GJ Eco Power, the contracting firm of the stalled WTE plant, on September 7. The long legal battle between Kochi Corporation and the contractor started following the cancellation of the concession agreement in May, following the firm’s failure in achieving financial closure. During the hearing, the firm had told the court that it will commence the construction of the plant within 60 days of signing a lease agreement with the corporation which will help them fulfil the financial closure.