KOCHI: The fire at the Brahmapuram waste plant, which could not be extinguished despite three days of effort, is causing severe health problems. 20 people, including the district fire officer, sought treatment after inhaling toxic fumes including plastic smoke. Some coughed up blood. At the same time, the suspicion that the fire was sabotage was strengthened.

Day and night, smoke is spreading like fog in Brahmapuram, Kakkanad, Tripunithura, and West Kochi areas. District Collector Dr. Renuraj has ordered the people of Brahmapuram to close their doors and windows and stay at home and not open any business establishments. All hospitals in Ernakulam city and nearby areas have also been directed to keep adequate oxygen reserves.

Yesterday, Air Force helicopters tried to spray water, but due to heavy smoke, the helicopters returned. Seven firefighting units have been pumping water into the plastic mounds since Thursday evening. Although the fire has subsided, the smoke is spreading strongly. Fire force units of Cochin Port Trust and SIAL will be deployed today. Two big pumps will be delivered today to pump water from Kadambrayar.

Fire spread in many places simultaneously

The main reason for the suspicion of sabotage is that many parts of the waste mountains, spread over fifty acres, caught fire at the same time. There is a presumption that there are ulterior motives associated with the contracts. Chief Secretary VP Joy instructed Kochi City Police Commissioner K Sethuraman in a high-level meeting held at the Collectorate yesterday to investigate and submit a report. Fires in the summer at the plant have continued for ten years.

Corruption plant of crores

The waste plant is a white elephant of Kochi Corporation. Every year, crores are spent on contracts like garbage collection, plant management, plastic sales, earthmoving, etc. This is a goldmine for officials and many of the people's representatives. The same person ran the plant for 12 consecutive years. The contract is with a new company from last year. There was opposition from the ruling side over the same. The two-year contract was reduced to one year. The new contractor has set up a new plant at a cost of two crores. The contract to put soil on top of the buried waste is also worth crores.

Plant on 104 acres

Kerala's largest solid waste plant is located on 104 acres on the banks of Kadambrayar in Puthankurish Panchayat, purchased by the Cochin Corporation. The garbage from the city, five municipalities, and three panchayats is dumped here.

Waste count(daily)

Bio-waste: 180 tonnes

Plastic waste: 75 loads

Plastic accumulated in a year: 50000 tonnes

More oxygen kiosks will be set up in the area. Hospitals are prepared to deal with an emergency.

Dr. Renuraj

District Collector