The State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management, constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has asked the Maradu municipal authorities to appear before it on January 21, Tuesday, to explain its plans to manage the debris following the demolition of the four apartment buildings in Kochi.
As per the notice issued by the committee, the Chairperson and the Secretary of the Maradu municipality should appear before it during a hearing, which will be held in Thiruvananthapuram.
The municipal authorities will have to explain the steps being taken to manage the dust problems the residents near the blast sites have been facing. They will also be directed to come up with an action plan for the scientific management of debris as per the provisions of the Construction and Demolition Waste Rules, 2016, according to the SLMC, said a report by G Krishnakumar of The Hindu.
According to the Rules, the debris should be covered with a sheet, vehicles transporting the debris should also be properly covered to prevent fugitive dust emission and water sprinklers should be used at all points where the waste is unloaded.
Earlier, the committee had asked the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) to initiate steps to mitigate the impact of the demolition on the quality of air and water nearby.
On January 13, a day after the demolition of the four big apartment complexes in Maradu, residents near the demolished H20 Holy Faith and Alfa Serene apartments accosted the municipal officials as they could not bear the dust pollution in their houses.
The twin towers of Alfa Serence and H2O Holy Faith were the first of four apartment complexes to be razed down following the Supreme Court order for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Golden Kayaloram and Jain’s Coral Cove were demolished on January 12, Sunday.