KOCHI: The Centre has intervened and asked for a report from Kerala on the fire that broke out at Brahmapuram dumpyard, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. “Have asked Kerala state government to submit a report on the incident of fire at Brahmapuram waste dumping yard in Kochi. Centre will support the state to ensure public health measures,” Mandaviya tweeted after Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan met him to seek the Centre’s intervention in the issue.
Muraleedharan said Kochi has become “unlivable” due to the toxic fumes from Brahmapuram. “Thousands have relocated to other parts of the state due to the smoke,” he told reporters in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court directed the secretary of the Kochi Corporation to place before the court the chronological details of the passing over of the management of the Brahmapuram plant to a third party. The secretary should explain the manner and mode in which the decisions regarding the plant are taken.
Observing that the Brahmapuram plant is worse than a dumpsite, the bench headed by Justice S V Bhatti also asked the secretary to place before it the details of the payments made by Kochi corporation to the contractors or staff under the head of collection, transportation, handing over, treatment, or any other head for the past seven years. This is to fix the responsibility for the mishap, the bench observed.