KOCHI: The District Disaster Management Authority has directed the Kochi corporation to take steps to ensure that incidents of fire breakouts don’t happen at the Brahmapuram waste management plant in future.
The order was issued by the District Collector Umesh N S K, who is also the chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority. The collector has directed the secretary to immediately implement the measures that aim to resolve the social, environmental, financial and health problems caused due to the frequent fires incidents at Brahmapuram. As per the order, if the civic body fails to implement the directives, action will be taken against those responsible under section 51 of the Disaster Management Act.
Road facility
As per the order, the civic body has to ensure timely clearance of waste to avoid a pile-up. The corporation should also make sure that all the roads to the plant are renovated in such a manner that fire and rescue services personnel can move without hindrance. A 10-metre-wide road has to be constructed along the perimeter of the plant. This will give fire tenders easy access to all sides of the plant. The area of a waste pile needs to be limited to 750 sq m. Also, a 10-metre wide internal road -- as a fire separation -- has to be constructed.
Fire security system
Proper fire separation, water spraying system, water separation system, fixed fire monitors and pumps that have double hydrant valves with a capacity to provide a pressure of 5 to 7kg have to be installed to ensure foolproof fire security. The secretary has been directed to ensure that these systems are installed on a war footing.
Static fire water tank
The corporation has also been directed to install a static fire water tank having a capacity of 50,000 litres to ensure that the fire hydrants, which too have to be made action ready, get an uninterrupted supply of water. The other instructions include the setting up of fire fighting pumps at different spots along the bank of Kadambrayar, the construction of a road along the bank of the river and 10 concrete platforms with electric lamps.
CCTV cameras
According to the order, CCTV cameras have to be installed and the plant has to be constantly monitored from a centralised control room to ensure that no fire outbreak happens. It is to be ensured that the feeds from the CCTVs are also connected to the control rooms of the Fire Force, DEOC, police and corporation. Apart, watch towers and water monitors have to be installed at certain distances after sectioning the waste dump yard into sectors.
FIRE WATCHERS
The civic body has been instructed to appoint fire watchers. The entire area of the plant has to be divided into eight sectors, which have to be monitored by fire watchers around the clock. The civic body and the district police chief have been instructed to ensure that police patrolling is imposed around the plant since there are chances of arson being committed by those living nearby. All sorts of equipment needed to fight fire have to be bought and stored at the plant.