BJP seeks CBI probe into Cochin dumpyard fire, alleges corruption

New Delhi, March 22

The BJP on Wednesday demanded a CBI inquiry into the Cochin legacy waste dump fire alleging a nexus between the ruling Left Democratic Front and the opposition United Democratic Front to help certain firms get biomining contracts for the yard.

Addressing a press conference today, BJP Kerala in charge Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the fire that broke out on March 2 at the Brahmapuram dumpsite was a “man-made disaster on account of monumental corruption”.

“The Kerala High Court is seized of the matter. The state government will never order a CBI probe but we are hopeful the court will,” Javadekar said.

He alleged a scam in giving the solid waste dumpsite biomining and processing contract to an inexperienced company in favour of the son-in-law of a senior Left leader.

“In 2021, the site contract was given to Zonta Infratech to bio-mine the waste. Immediately, Zonta Infratech gave sub-contract to Arash Meenakshi Envirocare. There is no apparent proof of legacy waste being processed. While Zonta was given the nine-month contract for Rs 54 crore, it subcontracted the project to another firm for Rs 32 crore. Since no segregation and processing was done, the waste kept piling up, resulting in a massive fire that led to severe health issues in people of Cochin,” Javadekar said.

He alleged that Zonta got solid waste management contracts for the Kannur, Kollam, Njeliyanparamba and Kozhikode corporations also, but the contracts for Kollam and Kannur were cancelled by the corporations there.

“Cochin generates 250 tonnes of waste daily. The Kerala Government should learn from Indore and Goa, where waste is being used to generate electricity,” Javadekar said.

He alleged that the owner of contractor company Zonta was the son-in-law of a former LDF convener and owner of Arash Meenakshi Envirocare was the son-in-law of a former Kerala Congress general secretary.

“It seems there’s an LDF-UDF alliance for corruption,” said Javadekar.