Satheesan asks CM to quantify dioxin poisoning in Kochi residents

V.D. Satheesan said the government should invite the World Health Organization to study the fallout of the atmospheric poisoning caused by the toxic fumes from the plastic garbage fire.
| Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat

Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan has penned an open letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stressing the dire need to quantify the public health fallout of the dioxin poisoning from smouldering plastic refuse at Brahmapuram in Kochi.

Mr. Satheesan also requested Mr. Vijayan to enlist experts and public health laboratories to assess the level of dioxin contamination in humans and livestock exposed to the toxic smoke that overwhelmed Kochi for almost a fortnight.

Mr. Satheesan said the government should invite the World Health Organization to study the fallout of the atmospheric poisoning caused by the toxic fumes from the plastic garbage fire. He demanded that the government supply gas masks to the Kochi populace laid low by the lethal atmospheric pollution. He asked Mr. Vijayan to enlist the help of expert agencies to audit the water and air contamination caused by the catastrophe.

Mr. Satheesan requested Mr. Vijayan to constitute an expert panel comprising environmentalists, chemists, food scientists, haematologists, endocrinologists, pulmonologists, and water and air quality analysts to quantify the public health fallout of the disaster.