Kerala High Court stays NGT’s order penalizing Kochi Corp for Rs.100 crores in Brahmapuram fire

Kerala High Court stays NGT’s order penalizing Kochi Corp for Rs.100 crores in Brahmapuram fire

The next hearing has been scheduled for May 23

The Kerala High Court on April 11, 2023 granted an interim stay for eight weeks on the National Green Tribunal order imposing a fine of Rs.100 crores on Kochi Municipal Corporation (KMC) over the Brahmapuram solid waste plant fire.

While stating that it would continue monitoring the situation, the Court further directed the district collector and the corporation secretary to apprise it of the situation by 2 May.

On 2 March, the Brahmapuram waste plant caught fire and the authorities were able to extinguish it only 10 days later. Meanwhile, the port city of Kochi remained blanketed in toxic smoke.

As the Court expressed its displeasure over the delay in executing waste management measures, the corporation claimed that 210-230 tonnes of organic waste was being collected on a daily basis. The corporation also informed the court that people disposing of garbage on the roadside, and all kinds of waste found in an entangled state, were presently their main concern.

NGT registered a suo motu case on 6 March over the Brahmapuram fire and sent notices to the State Government and KMC over the disastrous fire that led to severe air pollution and various health hazards in the city.

On 17 March, the Green Tribunal slapped a fine of Rs. 100 crore on the corporation and instructed the civic body to deposit the money with the chief secretary within a month.

However, the counsel representing KMC alleged that the tribunal issued the order without hearing the local body’s version.

The court will hear the case next on May 23.