Brahmapuram landfill waste may pose greater risk during monsoon, warns NGT

The Southern Zone of the National Green Court has instructed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Kerala Local Self-Government Department to provide a full report on the measures taken in response to the Court's directives to dispose of incinerated waste from the Brahmapuram landfill.

Brahmapuram landfill waste

The court heard a group of requests and suo moto took action regarding the cleanup of burnt debris following the Brahmapuram fire incident in March.

The Court's previous directive, issued on April 17, directed the Kerala State Pollution Control Board to conduct a scientific study on how to cap legacy waste to comply with the Supreme Court ruling.

The National Green Court Southern Zone has raised concerns about the failure to remove fire-affected waste piles at the Brahmapuram landfill in Kerala before the start of the monsoon.

The court consisting of Judge Pushpa Sathyanarayana and Dr. Satyagopal Korlapati noted that the seepage of hazardous waste into the ground and drinking water during the rainy season would pose a greater risk than the fire itself. The Court noted that the corresponding authorities had not yet submitted any response in this regard.

NGT: RDF waste not removed

The NGT further noted that the Residue Derived Fuel (RDF) fraction of the area affected by the fire has already been separated and is estimated to be around 80,000 tons.

The Court suggested that this CDR can be transported to the Waste-to-Energy Plant or used as co-fuel in the cement industries. However, NGT expressed concern that despite alternative remedies, the RDF fraction and waste have not been removed from the site.

The NGT has therefore directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Kerala Local Self Government Department to submit a detailed report on the measures taken to dispose of the burnt waste, plastic and ash from the Brahmapuram landfill and the segregated RDF fraction.

The Additional Chief Clerk has also been ordered to appear before the Tribunal by videoconference to clarify the action plan and the time required for its completion, taking into account the risks involved in leaving the site unattended. The matter will be dealt with on May 8.

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