Eloor municipality has issued a stern notice to Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) regarding the unscientific burning of film set waste on its premises. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has sparked severe respiratory distress among local residents, necessitating immediate municipal intervention.
The notice, issued on Thursday, charges FACT with violating multiple sections of the Kerala Municipalities Act, 1994. Specifically, the company stands accused of improperly burning solid and biological waste together, a breach of environmental protocols designed to safeguard public health and the environment. FACT has been allotted a 15-day window to provide a satisfactory response; failure to do so could result in the prosecution of company officials under Section 545 of the act. The genesis of the issue traces back to the production of the film ‘Guruvayur Ambalanadayil’, for which a replica of the Guruvayur temple was constructed on FACT’s grounds in Eloor. Following the completion of the filming, remnants of the set were disposed of by burning, an action that resulted in a significant smoke plume engulfing a densely populated area within FACT township, particularly affecting ward 16.
Local residents, who raised the alarm with the fire force and Eloor police station, reported experiencing severe distress from 2 pm to 8 pm due to the smoke. The resident detailed that over the past two months, multiple truckloads of set remnants had been transported to the FACT ground, culminating in the final burning of the remaining waste. This act of unscientific waste management has drawn sharp criticism from the community and municipal officials alike. An official from the township ward councillor’s office indicated that contractors tasked with waste management were responsible for the burning. Notably, St Anne’s School, located near the burn site, was fortuitously on holiday, averting potential exposure of students to the hazardous smoke.
The Incident highlights a glaring oversight in waste management practices and regulatory compliance by FACT. As the municipality awaits FACT’s response, there is a palpable tension within the community regarding the potential health implications and environmental damage resulting from the fire. This episode underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement of waste disposal regulations and heightened corporate responsibility in managing environmental impacts.
