As Kochi smog dissipates, CM breaks silence on 13th day, orders probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : A day after the smog at Kochi, leaving local residents in deep trouble for 12 days, dissipated, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan finally broke his silence on the issue on Wednesday by making a statement on the issue in the floor of the Assembly.

The smog developed after legacy waste deposited at a waster plant at Kochi's Bramapuram caught fire and engulfed the commercial capital of the state for 12 continuous days and even though the Assembly was in session and the Congress led opposition up in arms, Vijayan maintained stoic silence, even when treasury and opposition bench members were seen engaged in a war of words.

With the smog coming to an end after hundreds of men and machines worked day and night, Vijayan took cover under Rule 300 of the Kerala Assembly rules and procedures and made a statement wherein he said a thorough probe will take place.

"There will be a Vigilance probe, a special team will probe on how the fire broke out and in future, there will be weekly checks and analysis that will take place on the prevailing condition at the waste plant site," he said

However, before Vijayan started speaking, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan led the entire opposition out of the house.

Talking to the media, the Congress leader said Rule 300 is like All India Radio, where one can only hear and cannot ask any questions.

"Is Vijayan All India Radio? The fact of the matter is Vijayan is scared of questions and hence he is using Rule 300 to wriggle out of this," said Satheesan.

In a related development, Congress leader and former Kochi Mayor Tony Chemmani told the media on Wednesday at Kochi that a high level delegation led by Vijayan had visited the Netherlands and held talks with the subsidiary company of Zonta Infratech, the firm that's presently engaged in the Bramapuram Waste Plant.

"It was after this visit the present company got the contract," he claimed.

Meanwhile, Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the gold smuggling and Life Mission bribery case, wrote on Facebook: " 12 days of silence by the Hon'ble CM, thanks to the power above that He finally decided to utter....

"Mobilisation advance given to the contract company, request the Hon'ble CM to get it back and distribute it among the ladies and gentlemen, the common public who are coming forward to extinguish the fire at Bramapuram..

"Hon'ble CM I know very personally why you didn't react as always at the Kerala Legislative Assembly because you did not get the note to read on time yeaaah maybe because the right hand is at the hospital " Sivasankar Sir" you should have managed otherwise. Just because he was also involved in this deal you should not wait like this......"

"As a citizen of India please take my suggestion, We the individuals irrespective of age and gender will manage the fire at Brahmapuram risking our lives to save the rest but, provided you take the advance c........n back and distribute it to the people saving Bramapuram and the people of Kochi.

"Ladies & Gentlemen I will join all of you to help the people of Kochi inspite of all the threats and danger to my life."