18 March, 2023 |

Environment

Brahmapuram Disaster: The Deadliest Landfill Fires of the Decade

On the 2nd of March, a massive fire broke out in the Solid Waste Treatment Plant at Brahmapuram, Kochi. A blanket of toxic smoke had engulfed the city and its suburban regions. Check out the blog to understand the reason behind this fire accident and what necessary steps have been taken by the state govt to minimise the damage caused. Check it out :)

Introduction

-Brahmapuram is a locality in the city of Kochi, which is located in the Indian state of Kerala. One significant event that happened in Brahmapuram was the opening of the Brahmapuram Waste Management Plant in 2011. The plant is responsible for processing the city's solid waste and generating electricity from it. It is one of the largest waste-to-energy plants in India. It is known to have spread across 60 Acres. -Another significant event that happened in Brahmapuram was the floods that occurred in 2018. The area was heavily affected by the floods, which were caused by heavy rainfall. Many homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed, and several people lost their lives.

The Brahmapuram Disaster

-The Massive fire that took place on the 2nd of March does not seem to relieve the citizens of Kochi as the giant plumes of smoke continue to rise from the Solid Waste Treatment Plant. It is known that the Plant has humongous piles of thick layers of dry plastic waste that has been lying around for years. The Landfill comprises the Solid Waste of the entire Kochi City, along with 10 other regions. This Solid Waste Treatment plant has been set up by the Kochi Municipal Corporation. It is also known that incidents like these happen on a yearly basis during the summers and it's been happening for more than a decade. -Landfill fires are hard to contain because of the huge and thick layers of junk and different chemical compositions of the waste. Several Firefighters and the Indian Navy had arrived at the location and were trying to douse the massive fire outbreak, but were unable to contain it even after 2 weeks ever since the fire broke out at the plant. Amid the concerns about the Air Quality in the city of Kochi, the state govt has advised the people to remain indoors in order to protect themselves from the pungent smell that is emanating from the waste plant. Sadly, there is already a piece of news about a woman dying due to the toxic smell.

History

-As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time that a major fire broke out in the waste plant. A similar incident took place in August 2019, where there was a major fire outbreak in a chemical factory located at Brahmapuram, the same area where the fire incident took place. The factory was identified as the Ernakulam District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union, which produces milk powder and other dairy products. The fire caused extensive damage to the factory and led to the release of toxic chemicals and smoke into the air, which posed a risk to the health and safety of the residents in the surrounding areas. The fire also resulted in the death of one person and injuries to several others, including firefighters who were trying to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, but it was suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit in the electrical equipment. -The authorities responded quickly to the situation and worked to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby residential areas. The local government also set up a relief camp for affected residents and provided medical aid to those who were injured. The incident sparked a debate on the safety of chemical factories in residential areas and the need for stronger regulations to prevent such disasters from happening in the future.

Threat to the Climate

-Even before the incident of the fire breakout, there happened to be several threats to the planet due to the waste plant. There have been concerns about the environmental impact of the Brahmapuram Waste Management Plant, which was commissioned in 2011 to process the city's solid waste and generate electricity from it. While the plant has been successful in reducing the amount of waste going to landfills, there have been some issues related to the plant's operations and its impact on the environment. -One of the main concerns is the emission of pollutants such as methane, carbon dioxide, and other harmful gases from the plant. Despite the plant's efforts to reduce emissions, some residents in the surrounding areas have reported health problems such as respiratory issues, which they attribute to the plant's emissions. -Another concern is the impact of the plant on the nearby Periyar River, which is a major source of drinking water for the city. There have been reports of leachate (liquid waste) from the plant seeping into the river and contaminating the water. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board has issued several notices to the plant authorities to address this issue and take steps to prevent contamination of the river. -The plant has also been criticized for its management of hazardous waste, particularly in the disposal of fly ash (a byproduct of the incineration process). There have been reports of fly ash being dumped in nearby wetlands and paddy fields, which has raised concerns about soil contamination and damage to the ecosystem.

Is there any solution?

Of course!! There is a solution to this disastrous issue. What we feel is a need for stronger regulation and monitoring to ensure that it operates in an environmentally sustainable manner. As we got to know that landfill fires happen on a frequent basis, it's high time the government needs to focus and look into this issue as they say, "better late than never". The real problem with the government is that they only take necessary action once a severe incident takes place, and until then they don't even take a look around. This mindset of the government and the citizens needs to change, and only then we can see the nation at greater heights. Jai Hind!

Until then, we hope that this blog post was able to give you a better understanding of the incident. If you felt that reading this blog was worth your time, then feel free to share this blog post with your friends and family. Thanks for your time. Image Source: Unsplash.

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