The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of “complicity in the corruption that caused” the massive toxic fire at the dumping site of the Kochi Corporation’s waste disposal plant at Brahmapuram.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the government shied away from a debate on the subject to provide cover for the ruling front-linked firm contracted by the Corporation to biomine the waste and convert it to energy.
He said the hazardous fire smouldered for a fortnight, overwhelming Kochi and jeopardising the health of an estimated eight lakh residents.
Nevertheless, the government remained unrepentant. The police investigation into the alleged arson had reached a dead end. Those who caused the catastrophe seemed to have evaded the law with the government’s connivance.
He said the government accorded the “amateur” firm with no experience in waste management the coveted ₹54-crore contract for biomining the legacy waste pile.
The firm violated the contract by subcontracting the work to two fly-by-night operators for ₹22 crore. The operators let the plastic waste pile up. Mr. Satheesan alleged the firm had set fire to the garbage heap to conceal its brazen contractual violation.
He sought to put Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the dock by asking whether the ”erring” firm’s representatives had met the Cabinet delegation he headed during its Europe visit last year.
Mr. Satheesan said the government owed the public an explanation why the company bagged the majority of the municipal contracts for waste disposal.
Nevertheless, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-ruled Corporation in Kollam and the Congress-led Corporation in Kannur disregarded the company’s bids, given that it lacked any scientific expertise in biomining or operating waste-to-energy projects.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K. Surendran said the Brahmapuram fire was a criminal act aimed at covering up big-ticket corruption in the award of the biomining contract. He alleged that the firm’s representatives met the State Cabinet delegation in Europe before bagging the contract.
