It seems there is no end to the controversies surrounding the  Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. The latest addition to the list is the    alleged irregularities in  the transportation of sand to the plant for dousing the fire. The civic body had entrusted a contractor to transport sand to the plant     after the incident in which plastic waste caught fire on February 15.

According to the Opposition of the Kochi Corporation, the contractor has   submitted to the Corporation that he had transported 3,340 loads of sand to the Plant between February 16 and February 24. “If he had transported 3,340 loads in eight days, a minimum of 17 tipper lorries carrying sand should  have reached the plant every hour throughout day and night from February 16 onwards. But we are sure that such volume of sand was not used for dousing the fire,” alleged an Opposition Councillor.

He said that the funds for transporting lands were allocated under the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

“A total of `1.25 crore was allotted. We have examined the files maintained in the Corporation in this regard. Interestingly, there are no records in that file except a letter from the  Mayor asking the officials concerned to prepare an estimate for the volume of sand required to cover the plastic waste. The letter was issued on February 16,” he alleged.

He said that after the Opposition councillors and some of them from the ruling front raised objections against allotting funds to the contractor for 3,340 loads, the Mayor has asked for a Total Station Survey to assess the volume of sand used for the purpose.

“But even with the help of the survey, it will not be easy to assess the actual volume of sand as it has been spread unevenly. There was not even a   single official from the Corporation office at the plant when the sand was transported. If some responsible officials were there at that time, then a proper account of the number of loads could have been maintained,” he  alleged.

Allegations Denied

Kochi Corporation Health Standing Committee chairman T K Ashraf denied the allegations and said that the Corporation will not allot funds on the basis of the records submitted by the contractor alone. “We have begun the Total Station Survey and the result of the survey regarding the volume of sand used will be submitted to the Chief Town Planning officer, chief engineer and the councillors. The allegations are baseless and we were not able to  prepare an estimate before transporting sand because the plastic waste kept on burning for five days and the work had to begin immediately,” he added.