Kerala govt to install air quality monitoring devices at hospitals in Kochi

The Kerala government has decided to install air quality monitoring devices in select hospitals of the coastal city, which is reeling under toxic haze from the fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant.

State Health Minister Veena George said installing the air quality monitoring devices will help identify the possibility of people getting sick due to the worsening air quality.

"The devices will help identify the possibility of people falling sick and ensure preventive measures to be taken well in advance," George said in a release.

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

During the meet, Haley urged the administration to remain cautious as there are chances that fire may breakout again even after it appears to have been doused, the district administration said in a statement.

The New York Fire safety official said the current method of dousing the fire and smoke is the most effective method, the release said.

District Collector N S K Umesh, State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Shekhar Kuriakose and others attended the online meeting.

Haley suggested the use of drones fitted with infrared cameras that can detect smoldering fire underneath the waste heap.

The state government had on Saturday said 90 per cent of the fire at the Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant was extinguished and efforts were on to douse the rest.

As many as 23 fire units, 32 excavators/JCBs and three high pressure pumps are currently being pressed into service for extinguishing the smoke.

The health department has also earmarked a 'smoke casualty' in hospitals while 100 beds in General Hospital, Ernakulam, and 20 beds in Taluk Hospital, Tripunithura have been set aside for patients coming from the affected areas.

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

Under the 82-days-long action plan, stringent measures would be taken for the source-level management of biodegradable waste and for the door-to-door collection of non-biodegradable waste in the state.

According to local body officials, such incidents of fire happen every year around this time due to the extreme heat.