KOCHI: Ernakulam District Collector Renu Raj became the first casualty of the raging fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant after the government transferred her to Wayanad. However, the unceremonious manner in which she was shunted out has drawn widespread criticism from various quarters, who believe that the outgoing officer was conveniently made a scapegoat.
According to sources, it was the corporation’s responsibility to ensure that the plant had a proper approach road, fire hydrant and power supply. But, the civic body failed on all these fronts. However, as the mismanagement of the waste treatment plant and delay in dousing the fire escalated into a full-blown controversy, Renu was eased out. Sources said she was shifted to save the CPM-run Kochi corporation, which has suffered a major loss of face over the issue.
“The corporation is solely responsible for waste management. The mayor and council are in charge of providing services such as hydrants, fire fighting equipment, and road infrastructure in Brahmapuram,” said a high-ranking bureaucrat, who wished not to be named.
Renu Raj, who took charge last July as Ernakulam collector, has spent just over seven months on the job. She had the shortest stint on the job in the last twenty years. She will hand over the charge to N S K Umesh, who has been serving as staff officer to the chief secretary, on Thursday morning.
In an indirect reference to her sudden transfer, Renu, in a Facebook post on the occasion of Women’s Day said: “It’s proud to hear that ‘You are a woman’. But the protest begins when someone says ‘You are just a woman’.
Another source claimed that Renu was transferred after she put the ruling front in a catch-22 situation. “After undertaking steps to douse the fire, the district collector had come out to the public to explain the actions the administration had taken. However, a few political leaders were outraged by the move, fearing that it would put the ruling party on the defensive,” the source said, requesting anonymity.