KOCHI: It was decided in the meeting convened by the Chief Minister that plastic waste will no longer be taken to the Brahmapuram waste plant. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister after the High Court's opinion that a permanent solution to the Brahmapuram crisis was required. Plastic waste will be processed in three places. Waste management at source will be strengthened. As part of this, systems for waste management at source will be made mandatory in flats and houses. The meeting assessed that immediate measures have been taken to extinguish the existing fire and smoke in Brahmapuram as soon as possible.

Windrow composting system for organic waste treatment will be urgently repaired. Road facility will be ensured to Brahmapuram. An empowered committee consisting of the District Collector, Corporation officials, etc. will be formed and the activities will be supervised. The people of the area will be made aware of these. The Chief Minister suggested that meetings attended by ministers and people's representatives, including the mayor, should be held for this purpose.

Collector Renu Raj explained in the meeting that 300 fire brigade personnel, 70 other workers, around 50 Hitachi/JCB operators for garbage removal, 31 fire units, 4 helicopters, around 14 high-pressure water pumps and 36 Hitachi JCBs are working to control the current situation. Apart from more than 30 units of fire engines of the fire brigades, three high-capacity pump sets brought from Alappuzha are continuing to pump water at the rate of 60,000 liters per minute.