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IN PHOTOS | Kochi gasps for breath as fumes continue at Brahmapuram dumpyard post inferno

For the past week, residents of Kochi and its suburbs have been living in a virtual gas chamber — enveloped by smoke from the massive fires that first broke out at the Brahamapuram waste treatment plant on March 2.
For the past week, residents of Kochi and its suburbs have been living in a virtual gas chamber — enveloped by smoke from the massive fires that first broke out at the Brahamapuram waste treatment plant on March 2. A high-level meeting decided not to allo
For the past week, residents of Kochi and its suburbs have been living in a virtual gas chamber — enveloped by smoke from the massive fires that first broke out at the Brahamapuram waste treatment plant on March 2. A high-level meeting decided not to allo
Express News Service
Updated on: 
2 min read
The meeting, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the chair, also voted to treat organic waste at the source. It approved the Kerala State Pollution Control Board’s proposal that the Kochi corporation should collect plastic waste from its limits, segregate it and hand it over to either the Clean Kerala Company or recyclers. The segregation will be done at the civic body’s 21 health circles (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The meeting, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the chair, also voted to treat organic waste at the source. It approved the Kerala State Pollution Control Board’s proposal that the Kochi corporation should collect plastic waste from its limits, segregate it and hand it over to either the Clean Kerala Company or recyclers. The segregation will be done at the civic body’s 21 health circles (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Kochi Corporation secretary to inform it about the implementation of immediate, short and long-term measures at the Brahmapuram plant and also on improving source collection, handling, and disposal of solid waste. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Kochi Corporation secretary to inform it about the implementation of immediate, short and long-term measures at the Brahmapuram plant and also on improving source collection, handling, and disposal of solid waste. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The toxic air has left hundreds complaining of severe health issues, and experts are sounding the alert. Undoubtedly, the Brahmapuram fire outbreak has triggered respiratory-related health issues among people, said Indian Medical Association, Kochi, president Dr Sreenivasa Kamath. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
The toxic air has left hundreds complaining of severe health issues, and experts are sounding the alert. Undoubtedly, the Brahmapuram fire outbreak has triggered respiratory-related health issues among people, said Indian Medical Association, Kochi, president Dr Sreenivasa Kamath. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
Serious allegations of rampant corruption are being hurled at the CPM-led Kochi corporation for awarding the bio-mining contract to Bengaluru-based firm Zonta Infratech. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Serious allegations of rampant corruption are being hurled at the CPM-led Kochi corporation for awarding the bio-mining contract to Bengaluru-based firm Zonta Infratech. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Sunitha Dixon, public works chairman of the corporation, put the corruption figure associated with the plant at Rs 10 crore. “Zonta Infratech is owned by the son-in-law of senior CPM leader Vaikom Viswan. Over the last two years, the corporation has paid Rs 10 crore to the contractor, who has not done any work. Councillors used to get agitated at council meetings whenever I sought a report on the work being carried out at Brahmapuram,” she said. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Sunitha Dixon, public works chairman of the corporation, put the corruption figure associated with the plant at Rs 10 crore. “Zonta Infratech is owned by the son-in-law of senior CPM leader Vaikom Viswan. Over the last two years, the corporation has paid Rs 10 crore to the contractor, who has not done any work. Councillors used to get agitated at council meetings whenever I sought a report on the work being carried out at Brahmapuram,” she said. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The other major scam at Brahampuram is the plastic waste collection. For over a decade, the Kochi Corporation has not invited tenders for plastic waste collection and instead entrusted the work to a private firm, Bharat Private Limited. Councillors claimed that the firm collects only good plastic and dumps the remaining at the site. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
The other major scam at Brahampuram is the plastic waste collection. For over a decade, the Kochi Corporation has not invited tenders for plastic waste collection and instead entrusted the work to a private firm, Bharat Private Limited. Councillors claimed that the firm collects only good plastic and dumps the remaining at the site. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Even though the fire appears to be extinguished, huge amounts of smoke was still rising from the waste mound. Officials had maintained that such incidents happen every year around this time due to the extreme heat. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Even though the fire appears to be extinguished, huge amounts of smoke was still rising from the waste mound. Officials had maintained that such incidents happen every year around this time due to the extreme heat. (Photo | T P Sooraj, EPS)
Observing that the Brahmapuram plant was worse than a dumpsite, the Kerala High Court on March 13, directed the Kochi corporation secretary to submit a detailed chronology of the decisions that led to the passing over of the facility’s responsibility to a third-party agency. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
Observing that the Brahmapuram plant was worse than a dumpsite, the Kerala High Court on March 13, directed the Kochi corporation secretary to submit a detailed chronology of the decisions that led to the passing over of the facility’s responsibility to a third-party agency. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
The newly appointed district collector N S K Umesh, who appeared online, informed the court that the situation in Brahmapuram was under control with over 95% of the fire extinguished. There is improvement in air quality near the site, neighbourhood and in the city, said the collector, adding that he visited the plant recently and saw that the fire was totally extinguished in all seven sectors. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
The newly appointed district collector N S K Umesh, who appeared online, informed the court that the situation in Brahmapuram was under control with over 95% of the fire extinguished. There is improvement in air quality near the site, neighbourhood and in the city, said the collector, adding that he visited the plant recently and saw that the fire was totally extinguished in all seven sectors. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
Brahmapuram
Kochi fire
Brahmapuram waste plant fire

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