Kochi | The BJP on Thursday demanded a CBI probe into the Brahmapuram fire incident, alleging a nexus between the LDF government and a private company in handling waste at the dumping yard.

The party alleged corruption in awarding the contract to the private waste management company, which is facing heat over the incident.

Kochi and its surrounding areas were hit by huge air pollution last month due to the fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant, managed by the Kochi City Corporation.

After visiting the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant, BJP Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar questioned the track record of the company selected for treating garbage.

He sought to know why the Left government did not register a criminal case against the company in connection with the fire incident.

"It is a fraud committed by the LDF government and the Chief Minister on the citizens of Kerala. The government must immediately ask for the CBI inquiry into it," Javadekar, who is a former Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, told a press conference here.

He alleged that there was no processing of waste or bio-mining at Brahmapuram, and the government, instead of punishing the company, was rewarding it.

"This is unheard of. Because, when somebody commits this kind of fraud, he has to be punished", he said.

Earlier, while visiting the plant along with senior BJP leaders, Javadekar accused the Kerala government of cheating the people.

"Even after having a national debate on it, there is nothing going on, and there is no plant that should exist." Launching a scathing attack on the Pinarayi Vijayan headed government, he said the people should be "very vigilant" as the leftist dispensation has been "defrauding" them.

The fire incident was reported at the Brahmapuram plant in the first week of March and it continued for 12 days, causing pollution and widespread outrage.

Officials had maintained that such incidents happen every year around this time due to the extreme heat.