Navy, Kochi Corporation end standoff on waste disposal

Kochi, Oct 5 (UNI) Ending a five-day standoff on waste disposal, which had seen garbage piling up on the roadsides all over this city, the Southern Naval Command today allowed Kochi Corporation to dump waste on the Willingdon Island till the end of the month.

The Southern Naval Command had notified the Kochi Corporation in April, 2002 that an increase in bird activities due to the dumping of garbage at Willingdon Island, in the proximity of the Naval Airport, was adversely affecting flying operations.

The Corporation had then agreed to shift the dumping site to Brahmapuram from November, 2002, when its garbage disposal plant would be commissioned. However, following a delay in the setting up of the plant, the corporation kept getting extensions, the latest one of which ended on September 30.

According to a spokesman of the Southern Naval Command, following the corporation's assurance that no further extensions would be sought, the Navy had started the re-carpeting of its runway and was now using an old runway which lay close to the site where the waste was being dumped.

With the Navy refusing to allow the Corporation to dump the waste on Willingdon Island from October one and no other place earmarked for the same, garbage has been overflowing on the streets of Kochi, adding to the fears of a dengue or chikungunya outbreak in the city.

With no solution in sight, the Kochi Mayor sought the help of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan. Following a request from the Chief Secretary yesterday, the Navy today allowed the Corporation to dispose waste at the present site till the end of this month.

The Chief Minister also spoke to VAdm J S Bedi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, in this regard. Dr Sebastian Paul, MP, had also requested the Navy to oblige for a short period in the public interest.

''The Navy is an integral part of Kochi and is an equally responsible organization which is willing to support the Corporation. Notwithstanding the work on the runway and compliance of the Aircraft Act 1934 which stipulates that no garbage can be dumped within 10 Km of any airport, the Navy has agreed to the State's request to permit waste disposal till end October and the Corporation has agreed to comply with the conditions to avoid bird activity in the area through proper treatment of the disposed garbage. While the Navy is with the people of Kochi, we also have to ensure flight safety, since the naval airport is not only used for naval flying training but also for operational sorties and for VVIP and other classified flights,'' the spokesman said.

UNI ARC VS1654