Waste management facility facing closure gutted in Kochi

A massive fire engulfed a waste management facility near Perumbavoor in Kochi on Monday, causing panic in the area. The blaze, which consumed tonnes of non-biodegradable waste including plastic, left the residential neighborhood shrouded in thick smoke for hours. Despite sixteen individuals being present at the site when the fire ignited, there were no reported casualties.

Fire and Rescue Service units from different stations in Ernakulam district were still battling the inferno in the afternoon, according to an official from the Pattimattom fire station. The incident took place at the material recovery facility of GreenEvotech, a Kochi-based waste management company. Local authorities from Vengola gram panchayat revealed that the facility had been under a stop memo issued by the local body, following complaints from residents.

This memo required the company to cease operations at the facility by October 15. However, as stated by Anu Pathrose, a member of Perumani ward where the facility is situated, the company had not removed any materials from the location. The facility operated on a rented plot, and local residents complained about the accumulation of garbage in the facility, which prompted the panchayat to take action.

GreenEvotech's management reported that they had responded promptly to the stop memo and were in the process of relocating. The materials in the warehouse had been segregated and ready for recycling by the waste management company. However, the fire resulted in significant losses, as the product and machinery including a forklift and four baling machines were destroyed.

The cause of the fire has been attributed to a short circuit by Shebeena Shaji, the marketing manager of GreenEvotech. The company staff had noticed the spark and attempted to extinguish the flames using in-house extinguishers, but the fire spread rapidly.