KOCHI: The massive fire at the Brahmapuram plant site has brought into sharp focus the mismanagement and utter failure of authorities in handling the waste issue in the city and its suburbs. Waste from Kochi corporation and five municipalities is dumped in the 104-acre area. It is suspected that fire outbreaks, which has become an annual event right around the same time, are deliberate acts by vested parties.
Congress leader Deepti Mary Varghese, the councillor of Karukappilli ward of the corporation, said Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) awarded the tender for bio-mining and a waste-to-energy plant to Zonta Infratech, which does not have enough experience in the area. “Zonta is run by the son-in-law of senior CPM leader Vaikom Viswan. There was vested interest in the awarding of the tender,” Deepti alleged. She added that the suspicion intensifies as the company has not completed even 25% of the work even though its contract has expired.
Henry Austin, councillor of Vaduthala West, echoed the allegations. One of the conditions in the tender document was a Rs 10-crore-bio-mining-experience certificate. “According to the certificate produced by Zonta Infratech, it had Rs 8.5 crore of experience in bio-mining. Later, they submitted an annual maintenance certificate of`Rs 2.5 crore to qualify,” the Congress leader said. Moreover, the company does not have an impressive history. “If is facing a vigilance probe for the low-quality work in Bengaluru. In Kollam, it was given a bio-mining tender for 2.5 acres. But it was withdrawn. In Kannur, an agreement was terminated due to the firm’s poor quality of work,” Henry said.
In Kochi, Zonta is executing a Rs 54-crore bio-mining project and a Rs 337-crore waste-to-energy plant project, he said. However, the agreement for the waste-to-energy project has not been signed. He added that the work was expected to finish in nine months. However, even after one-and-a-half years, only 25% of the bio-mining work has been carried out. The contract has been extended for six months.
On alleged involvement of Congress leader and former GCDA chairman N Venugopal’s son in the management of Zonta, Henry responded that his party is ready to face any investigation on the involvement of any relative of Congress leaders in the ownership of the company.
TNIE could not contact Zonta for comments. Meanwhile, the chairman of the state-level monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Justice B Ramakrishna Pillai, said that action should be taken to avoid every chance of fire. “This is the fourth or fifth such instance since my appointment. We have issued warnings to the corporation”, said Justice Ramakrishnan.
He added that legacy waste should be segregated and removed before new waste is dumped. “At Brahmapuram, the new waste is dumped above the legacy waste. As temperatures rise, compressible gas is formed that sets off fires. These outbreaks have now become a recurring phenomenon. Bio-mining should have happened at the right place in safe conditions. a permanent solution to the problem is the proper disposal of legacy waste,” said Justice Ramakrishnan. He added that he will inspect the area to ascertain the situation.
Holiday for schools today
Kochi : Ernakulam District Collector Renu Raj has declared Monday a holiday for educational institutions in Kochi. The development comes in the wake of the city registering poor air quality after a fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. The holiday applies to anganwadis, daycare centres, kindergartens, and classes I to VII in schools in several areas, including Vadavukode-Puthankurish, Kizhakambalam, Kunnathunad panchayats, Thrikkakara, Tripunithura, and Maradu municipalities, and Kochi municipal corporation. The holiday applies to CBSE and ICSE schools as well. However, examinations will be held as scheduled.