Kochi: The Kerala High Court has directed the authorities concerned to hand over details regarding the award of the contract to handle solid waste at Brahmapuram, to the amicus curie appointed by the court.

Justice S V Bhatti and Justice Basant Balaji issued the direction on a suo motu case initiated by the High Court in the wake of the blaze at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant and the toxic smoke that engulfed the city in its aftermath.    

The Corporation Secretary should scan all documents and the soft copies should be sent by Tuesday evening. The Division Bench also directed that the amicus curie should examine the documents and the gist of the same should be conveyed to the court.

The amicus curie should clarify whether there was any lapse in deciding on the contract and has to submit information, including the chronology of events.  

The court has also directed the amicus curie to submit his opinion on the reports submitted by the Local Self-Government Additional Chief Secretary, Ernakulam District Collector, the Pollution Control Board Chairman, and the Kochi Corporation Secretary.

Environmental law violation: Action against local body institutions
Meanwhile, the High Court Division Bench directed the Pollution Control Board (PCB) to take action against those local body institutions violating environmental regulations. The measures should be taken as per the Water & Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Acts. The court ordered the issuance of notices to the local body institutions, warning them of penalties for such violations.

The PCB informed the court that it collected water samples from various areas of Periyar and found them not fit for consumption.

The court directed strict action against the institutions responsible for the pollution.

The direction was issued in a suo motu writ plea initiated by the High Court early last month following the massive fire at the Brahmapuram dumping yard facility of the Kochi corporation that lasted over a week, resulting in billowing out of toxic gases over large areas of Kochi city.

Court warns collectors too
The court also issued a verbal warning that those district collectors who fail to complete 75 percent of the proceedings under the first phase of the waste treatment project being implemented across the state within the stipulated period should have to personally appear before it.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary (Local Self Government Department) Sarada Muraleedharan briefed the court about the actions being taken and the deadlines. Those collectors who have already initiated action can depute district development commissioners to appear before it. The court will consider the petitions on April 11.

Sarada Muraleedharan informed the court that a report on setting up of effective waste disposal systems in all main towns will be given on April 10.

The amicus curie will decide as to the places of carrying out inspections to determine the progress of the measures taken by the local-self institutions. If it’s found the officials had given false information to the Additional Chief Secretary, they will have to give explanations to the court. Also, the local-self institutions will be directly given directions if they fail to implement the actions in a time-based manner, the court added.