The Congress led UDF members on Tuesday protested in the Kerala Assembly at the well of the House by holding a "parallel session" before staging a walkout, over the Brahmapuram waste yard fire. During the zero hour, the opposition UDF members sought notice for an adjournment motion over the police action against their councillors who had protested in front of the Kochi Corporation on Monday against the alleged ’failure’ of CPI(M)-led government to douse the fire.

However, Speaker A N Shamseer did not allow them to present the notice, saying they could bring it before the House as a submission later. Enraged UDF members stood up and trooped into the well, raising slogans and holding placards and a banner in their hands.

Registering his strong protest, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan alleged that they were denied permission even to present the notice to avoid the situation where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be forced to break his silence on the Brahmapuram waste plant fire issue.

"The Chief Minister is running away from the issue….We cannot allow this at any cost," he said.

However, Speaker Shamseer said that there are over 900 Local Self Government Departments (LSGDs) in Kerala and the issues there could not be brought to the House for discussion.

He also repeatedly warned the opposition MLAs not to block his view by raising the banner which they did not seem to bother.

Amidst heated arguments, the Speaker told certain protesting legislators, "You all have won by a narrow margin." He even told Palakkad legislator Shafi Parambil thrice that the Congress MLA would lose his seat in the next Assembly poll.

As Shamseer took up other businesses of the day ignoring their protest, the opposition held a parallel session in the well of the House.

Roji M John (Congress), who earlier sought notice for the adjournment motion on the police action against the councillors, presented it while the actual session was progressing on the other side.

Later, they boycotted the proceedings and walked out of the Assembly raising slogans.

"The government is facing heat on the Brahmapuram fire incident…the people of the state believe that the complete failure of the government has resulted in the fire. Shouldn’t we bring the cruel police action against our councillors into the assembly?" Satheesan told reporters outside the House.

The parallel session was held to express our protest in this regard, the LoP added.

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Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday asked the Kerala State Government to provide a report on the recent fire that occurred at the Brahmapuram waste dumping yard in Kochi.

"Have asked Kerala State Government to submit a report on the incident of fire at #Brahmapuram waste dumping yard in Kochi. Centre will support the State to ensure public health measures," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Have asked Kerala State Government to submit a report on the incident of fire at #Brahmapuram waste dumping yard in Kochi.

Centre will support the State to ensure public health measures.— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 13, 2023

Additionally, on Monday, the Kerala High Court directed the Secretary of the Cochin Municipal Corporation to present details regarding the management of the Brahmapuram solid waste management plant facility, specifically in regards to its transfer to a third party.

A fire that broke out at the waste treatment plant in Kochi on March 2, 2023, continues to spread toxic fumes even after 11 days of the incident. The Kerala government has said that 95 percent of the fire has been extinguished, but the smoke from the landfill has not entirely subsided.

"Ninety-five percent of the fire has been extinguished. But the smoke from the landfill has not entirely subsided. The firefighters are hoping to control the smoke within two days," said Ernakulam District Collector Umesh NSK.

The Opposition parties have alleged in the Assembly that the fire at the plant was the biggest man-made disaster that Kerala had ever seen, and the government's negligence was the cause of this tragedy.

The Brahmapuram plant fire case has been taken up voluntarily by the Kerala High Court, which re-heard the case on Monday.

Furthermore, a monitoring committee appointed by the High Court visited the waste plant on Saturday, and the court will consider the committee's report. The court has also asked the Additional Chief Secretary of Local Self-Government, District Collector, and Corporation Secretary to be present for all sittings of the case.

The health department's two mobile medical units will operate in Kochi to monitor respiratory symptoms and provide emergency medical care for the people affected by fire and smoke.

In a statement, district authorities had said 200 firefighters, 18 excavator operators, 68 civil defence members, 55 city corporation officials, 48 Home Guards, five personnel from the Navy, two from BPCL, three from CIAL and four from the Revenue department were working continuously.

The Ernakulam district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority held an online discussion on the fire situation with the New York Fire Safety Department Deputy Chief George Healy on Sunday morning.

The government has also announced an action plan to be implemented on a war footing to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the state.

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First Published:Mar 13, 2023 10:11 PM IST