The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Effort on to begin waste dumping on port trust land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Effort on to begin waste dumping on port trust land

Staff Reporter

Civic authorities say outbreak of contagious diseases possible

KOCHI: With heaps of stinking garbage and the monsoon portending a possible outbreak of contagious diseases in the city, the Kochi Corporation is making another effort to dump waste on Cochin Port Trust land.

The civic administration is planning to approach the Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, seeking clearance from the Navy for the purpose.

The corporation authorities have drafted a letter on behalf of the Mayor, councillors and the civic administration, seeking the clearance.

They have pointed out that the there is a possibility of an outbreak of epidemics in the city as the garbage heaps are mounting.

The unprecedented crisis has surfaced at the wrong time for the councillors, as they will have to face the electorate within three months. It is the stand of T.H. Mustafa, Kunnathunadu MLA, against dumping waste at Brahmapuram, where the corporation had bought land for setting up a waste-treatment plant, that had led to the situation.

The MLA's resistance and opposition from residents of the areas where the corporation had been dumping waste have stalled removal of garbage from the city.

The panic-stricken civic administration is exploring all avenues for dumping waste. Last week, the port trust gave verbal clearance for dumping waste on its land following the intervention of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The improper filling of the land using waste attracts birds to the area, which is located near the Naval airport.

The Navy, hence, objected to the dumping of the waste, citing a few instances of bird hits on aircraft.

Had the waste been covered properly using gravel and chemicals as specified, the Navy would not have opposed to the dumping of waste, a few civic administrators say.

Currently, the corporation is dumping waste on a few sites late in the night to evade protests from people.

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