The sky of Kochi, India, is covered with toxic smoke; the environment is polluted.
The sky of Kochi town in the Indian state of Kerala is covered with toxic black smoke. This smoke is generated when a local waste management plant catches fire.
A fire broke out at the Brahmapuram waste plant last week. Firefighters have been trying hard to put out the fire at the waste plant for several days. The waste plant processes tons of waste per day.
The authority asked the residents to stay indoors due to the risk. Using an N-95 mask when going out in an emergency is advised. Apart from this, local authorities have decided to close children’s schools for now. The state government said the fire is under control and will extinguish soon.
The fire was often in large garbage dumps, reported in India. Most of the fires are caused by methane generated from the waste. However, it still needs to be made clear what caused the fire.
A firefighter told the Indian media PTI that the layer of plastic had become hot under the waste. The smoke from the fire caused nausea and dizziness among many firefighters.
The report mentioned that several firefighters had developed respiratory problems due to exposure to toxic fumes.
Meanwhile, the city’s police have started an investigation into the fire incident. The state’s pollution control department fined the local authorities Rs 18.00 million for irregularities in waste management.
