KOCHI: The Kerala state pollution control board (KSPCB) has issued a rejection intention notice to the corporation in response to the application submitted by the local body seeking approval for operating solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.
But the civic body authorities haven’t replied to it. This will create more problems for the operations of the waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram. KSPCB’s move follows the corporation’s inaction regarding rectification of flaws at its plant. A few months ago, the pollution control board had returned the application filed by the local body seeking licence for operating the solid waste treatment plant.
The board returned the application as the corporation authorities failed to fulfil the requirements while submitting the application. While considering the civic body’s application in 2016, KSPCB had asked the corporation to complete a slew of measures, including setting up a leachate treatment plant. But the corporation couldn’t fulfil the conditions. In August 2021, KSPCB officials had conducted an inspection at Brahmapuram and found that the facilities there were far from satisfactory.
“As the next step, we gave refusal intention notice to the corporation. They haven’t replied so far. Now, we are planning to refuse the application submitted by the local body seeking authorization from us,” an official with KSPCB said.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had asked the corporation to file a report on the status of the solid waste treatment plant by September 27, 2021. The NGT had sought report from the corporation after KSPCB submitting a report before the tribunal stating that the condition of the plant and the facilities there were pathetic. KSPCB in its report submitted on July 29, 2021, had stated that the corporation hasn’t obtained the necessary authorization from the board for operating the solid waste treatment plant.
A team from the NGT had visited the plant in February 2019 and gave instructions for improving the facilities and addressing the shortcomings. But the corporation authorities are still unable to construct a proper plant to treat the leachate coming out from the treatment plant.
In the absence of a plant to treat the leachate, the waste water is being percolating into the groundwater and nearby Kadambrayar.
