Last Update: March 15, 2023, 6:35 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram, India
The Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant had caught fire on March 2 and since then the air quality in the port city had been deteriorating. (PTI photo)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday announced a three-tier probe by various agencies into the fire that broke out at a sewage treatment plant in Kochi’s Brahmapuram.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday announced a three-tier probe by various agencies into the fire that broke out at a sewage treatment plant in Kochi’s Brahmapuram.
He told the state assembly that a special investigation team (SIT) of the state police would probe the criminal case registered in connection with the March 2 fire.
Making a special statement on the issue in the House, the Chief Minister said that the fire in the garbage dump was completely doused on March 13.
Vijayan, who has been facing severe criticism from opposition parties for not breaking his silence on the fire incident, made the statement in the House under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct. Business Of the assembly.
“The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau will investigate all the processes from the inception of the wastewater treatment plant till now,” he added.
Also, an expert team will be deputed to give recommendations on how to avoid such accidents in future and operationalize the waste management programme.
The terms of reference of the panel’s inquiry will include the reasons that led to the fire, the suitability of the existing site as a solid waste treatment-disposal facility, the extent to which the observations and recommendations made by the State Pollution Control Board have been complied with. There and so on, he explained.
Citing available data, Vijayan said 1,335 residents have taken treatment in government and private hospitals after the incident.
Of those, 21 people required hospitalization and none had any serious health problems.
In the wake of the Brahmapuram plant fire, Vijayan said his government has taken steps to bring in international expertise for waste management in the state.
The Chief Minister said that the World Bank has already expressed its willingness and the government will hold discussions with its delegation on March 21-23, adding that the expertise of other agencies will also be utilised.
Congratulating various government agencies, including the fire brigade, for fighting the fire and related operations, he said that a coordinated operation was carried out by various agencies.
The Chief Minister said that such incidents do not recur in the future, for this the goal of scientific garbage disposal should be realized in the state.
A massive fire broke out at the wastewater treatment plant in Brahmapuram on March 2 and after that, the air quality in the port city of Kochi and neighboring municipalities and village panchayats deteriorated as they inhaled thick smoke emanating from the garbage dump . PTI LGK ROH HDA
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)