By Express News Service KOCHI: As random fire outbreaks become a routine affair at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant, the Kochi corporation has decided to implement the suggestions given by the Fire and Rescue Services Department to avert similar mishaps in the future. The special corporation council meeting to be held on February 28 will take up the matter and discuss steps needed for the speedy implementation of GJ Eco Power’s waste-to-energy plant. “To avoid more such mishaps, we have decided to implement the directions given by the Fire and Rescue Services Department. The corporation will hold an evaluation meeting for the waste-to-energy plant to find ways to fast-track its construction. All other concerns besides this, including directions from the state-level monitoring committee (SLMC), will be discussed at the special corporation council meeting,” said Mayor Soumini Jain. Biomining of legacy waste hits roadblock However, the corporation’s plan to execute the biomining of the legacy waste -- as per the directions given by the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) SLMC -- has hit a roadblock. Earlier, the Kochi Corporation officials had gone ahead with the plan of scientific capping of the waste. This was later scrapped when the NGT stood firm on its directions. “Earlier, we had submitted a report citing that the fire outbreak, prima facie, is the outcome of unscientific dumping of waste. Though we have given many directions such as the installation of a fire-fighting facility, an overhead tank with pumping facility and a concrete pit for leachate, the officials are least bothered. Other than giving ready-made answers, none of them is willing to rectify the root causes of the issue,” said SLMC chairman Justice A V Ramakrishna Pillai. So far, SLMC has made three visits in the past year. Following its directions, small roads have been paved in the midst of the heaps of waste, so that fire engines can move in case of an emergency. “Because of this, the fire engines were able to enter the area and mitigate the effect of the outbreak to a great extent,” he said. Long-term effects on air to be studied In addition to looking into the recent incident, the SLMC will assess the long-term effect on the atmosphere caused by these incessant fire outbreaks in the waste treatment plan. The committee will compare the dioxin levels of the last two outbreaks and conduct a study to formulate the action plan.

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