Waste treatment operations in Munnar have ground to a halt following a fire that gutted the Munnar panchayat running waste treatment plant on Wednesday night. In response, the panchayat is planning to privatise waste disposal for the hill station.
According to officials, a large portion of the facility at Kallar, near Munnar, was destroyed. The fire severely damaged the building and machinery operated by the panchayat.
A panchayat official stated that a police complaint has been filed to determine the cause of the blaze. “With the machinery damaged, waste disposal in the hill station is at a standstill. For now, the panchayat continues to collect waste, and an agency will send plastic waste directly to cement companies,” the official said.
The official added that the panchayat suffered an estimated loss of ₹50 lakh in the fire. The conveyor belt, baling machine, and solar fencing battery unit were all destroyed.
Munnar panchayat president Vijayakumar said the electrical inspectorate will inspect the plant on Sunday. “The police probe is ongoing, and we are awaiting the report from the Fire and Rescue Services. The panchayat has already submitted CCTV footage and other evidence to the police,” Mr. Vijayakumar said. “We planned to conduct a massive cleaning drive, but the police directed us not to enter the grounds for the next three days while the investigation continues.” he said.
