Pollution panel issued show cause notice to Kochi Corporation

The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has issued a show cause notice to the Kochi Corporation for violation of environmental laws regarding waste management at its Brahmapuram yard.

The notice has been issued by the Chief Environmental Engineer, Ernakulam, based on the direction of the PCB Chairman. The Corporation Secretary has to submit the reply within 15 days. The civic body was found to be in violation of the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; And the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Noting that the corporation is showing negligence in ensuring proper management of solid waste in Brahmapur, the notice stated that the civic bodies continue to collect biodegradable waste from other local bodies. This was done despite the fact that those local bodies were obliged to manage the waste as per the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000. The board will often have to proceed to assess environmental damage or fines in the wake of a fire. Outbreak on site. Such fire accidents caused damage to the environment in the same or similar proportions, it said.

The board found that fresh biodegradable waste transported to the plant was not properly segregated according to the instructions given earlier. It was dumped on an old pile of waste lying in a dilapidated shed. Despite several directives from the State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on solid waste management and board, the corporation has not been able to practice fresh waste treatment even after a gap of 10 years.

The board reminded that the corporation secretaries were given special instructions on several occasions not to repeat the mismanagement of solid waste and fire accidents by the SLMC appointed by the National Green Tribunal.

“It is annoying to note that almost all components of the septage treatment plant were kept inactive and there was clear evidence of untreated sewage discharge using a flexible hose directly through the lead section, which would have ended up in such a marshy area.” is. This marshy area has been extended to the Chhatrapuzha River, which is one of the 21 polluted rivers in the state and three in the district.