Plea before Kerala High Court alleges Brahmapuram fire deliberate act; seeks inquiry

A petition has been filed before the Kerala seeking directions to the State government to investigate the cause of fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant and garbage dump that led to the toxic haze and smog in Kochi city [Francis Manjooran v State of Kerala & Ors.]..The plea filed by a resident of the city, Francis Manjooran alleged that the fire was a deliberate act and was willfully generated, and it was not an accident. It was submitted that the fire and the consequent smog caused breathing difficulties and asthmatic problems for the petitioner and other residents of the city.Even though the Kochi Corporation and State government conducted different experiments to remove the huge hills of waste, there was no proper disposal or treatment system in the plant, the plea stated.The plea further alleged that the health inspector of the Kochi Corporation remained a mute spectator and thoroughly failed in discharging his statutory duties..The petitioner highlighted that every year, there are similar fire breaks out at the Brahmapuram plant, and the Kochi Corporation is compelled to spend crores of money to put out the fire in order to prevent health hazards for the public.“This kind of fire is a usual process and practice for the last few years. Brahmapuram waste management plant is situated at Puthencruz Panchayath. A major fire broke out happened on 2nd March at Brahmapuram solid waste management plant was working where garbage/wastes from 74 divisions of Kochi Corporation and nearby Municipalities and Panchayath is dumping. As there was no proper disposal or treatment system in the plant, the waste is flowing to the Kadambrayar River and thereby neighboring residents within a radius of 10 Kilometers are not in a condition to lead a meaningful life because of the dirty smell and fumes from the dumping yard,” the plea said.The petition further said that there is a widespread allegation that a Bengaluru-based firm, Zonta Infratech Private Limited Environmental Services, which was given the the contract for bio-mining at the plant, was not competent and it was due to lapse on the part of the firm that the fire had broken out at the plant.Therefore, the petitioner said that entire records relating to the award of the contract of bio-mining to the said firm should be sought from the Pollution Control Board and an inquiry should be held into 18 incidents of fire at Brahmapuram.Lastly, the plea sought a direction to the State government to frame necessary welfare schemes to deal with health hazards caused to the general public due to the foul smell and fumes from such fires..The petition was filed through advocate TB Mini.