Government quarters under poisonous smoke cloud

KOCHI: It has been almost a year since the residents of the Railways and the Port quarters have been living under the poisonous smoke emerging from the scrapping of the rail oil rakes by the contract workers. These oil rakes, left at Mattanchery Halt in Willington Island, had once carried petroleum and oil products and then were auctioned by the railways, to the contractors for scrapping. “A certain gas is being used by the contract workers to cut the rakes. The gas mixed with the remnants of petroleum in the rakes, produces a poisonous smoke. We have been breathing this smoke for the past one year,” said K Manju, a resident at the Port quarters.About 20 families are living in these quarters. “The cutting takes place from morning till evening. We have been telling the contractors and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) authorities to do the work at some other place, but they are least bothered,” she added.According to the residents, the railway authorities could ask the contractors to relocate their work. “They can easily do the cutting at another location which is not far from the place where the rakes are being cut. But the railway authorities have always sided up with the contractors,” they alleged.RPF Sub Inspector Prince said that the contractors had said that they would have problems with cutting the rakes in another location as the place is not easily accessible for transportation. They had said that it would involve a lot of money, he added.Prince said that though it was understandable that the smoke could create problems for the residents, nothing can be done as of now. Meanwhile, the residents said that they would approach the Pollution Control authorities.“How can the railways be so callous to the condition of our health. If things go out of control, we will soon take the complaint to the authorities concerned,” said Radhakrishnan, another resident.Pollution Control Board senior environmental officer Farook said, “No such complaints have been registered till now. We will take immediate action once the complaint is filed.”