KOCHI: Minister P Rajeev said that 80 percent of the fire in Brahmapuram has been brought under control and the waste disposal will be back to normal from today. This was informed by the minister after visiting Brahmapuram along with Local Government Minister M B Rajesh. Minister Rajeev said that it is not possible to tell the exact date when the fire can be completely extinguished. Even if the fire is extinguished, the situation is such that it catches fire again. The priority now is to douse the flames. The city's garbage disposal has been restored. 40 loads of garbage have been removed. There was fire in a depth of six feet. The minister also explained that the fire was extinguished by taking out the burnt garbage.

All efforts are been taken to quell the smoke in the plant. An attempt is being made to stir up the garbage with earthmoving machines and pour water on the coals below. For this, 30 fire engines are camping in Brahmapuram. Water is being poured aerially from a helicopter. One of the longest operations in the history of the Fire Rescue Service is the round-the-clock operation to douse the smoke in the plant. Around 200 fire rescue personnel from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram are in the final stages of extinguishing the smoke.

Meantime, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the Kozhikode Corporation had awarded a contract to a controversial company in Brahmapuram to build a waste plant in the same manner. Chennithala said that in addition to the roadside rest center, the government's lands in more projects are in the hands of private companies. He also alleged that there is massive corruption behind the making of contracts to private companies for the implementation of government land projects.