Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, on Wednesday urged the state government to declare a health emergency in the areas around Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi, claiming that the toxic smoke from the waste mound fire has created serious health problems for the people living there.

Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan said, "An immediate health emergency should be declared in the area and adequate remedial measures should be taken after testing the level of air pollution there."

Satheesan, a senior Congress leader, alleged that the air quality in the area has come down drastically, forcing people to inhale toxic fumes.

"People are widely dizzy. Smoke is spreading not only in Kochi city but also in nearby districts", Satheesan claimed.

The Congress leader alleged that there was massive corruption in connection with the waste treatment contract in Brahmapuram.

Levelling serious charges against the various departments of the government, Satheesan alleged that the fire is still not extinguished, and the garbage was burnt with petrol.

"The contractors have committed a serious crime. Even if the fire is extinguished, the fire of corruption will not be extinguished", Satheesan alleged.

He claimed that various departments including health, local self-government and disaster management, are inactive at Brahmapuram.

"There have been serious irregularities in connection with the contract. The waste mound was deliberately set on fire and the government is trying to protect the culprits," the LoP alleged.

Meanwhile, BJP state president K Surendran alleged an understanding between the ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress-led UDF in settling the Brahmapuram waste plant fire case as the contractors of waste management there were the relatives of top leaders of these parties.

He also urged the state government to hand over the investigation into the Brahmapuram fire incident to the central agencies.

Several fire tenders, Indian Navy choppers and personnel as well as firefighting personnel and equipment from oil-PSUs Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, etc were deployed in the last few days to control the blaze and extinguish it.

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Vadodara, Feb 19 (PTI): Skipper Meg Lanning struck 69 off 49 balls as Delhi Capitals produced a solid batting effort to beat UP Warriorz by seven wickets and register their second win in the Women's Premier League here on Wednesday.

Sent into bat, UP Warriorz rode on opener Kiran Navgire's quick-fire half-century to post 166 for seven.

But the total was not enough as besides Lanning, Annabel Sutherland played a crucial 35-ball 41-run knock and was ably supported by Marizanne Kapp (19 not off 17) and opener Shafali Verma (16 off 16). Delhi completed the chase with a ball to spare.

DC were off to a brisk start with Shafali and Lanning sharing 65 runs in just 41 balls for the opening stand.

Shafali was going great guns before she was caught by Chinelle Henry off Deepti Sharma in the seventh over.

Jemimah Rodrigues too didn't last long as she departed in the next over without opening her account, trying to paddle sweep Sophie Eccestone but only managing to get a top edge and Rajeshwari Gayakwad did the rest.

Sutherland and Kapp then shared 48 runs for the fourth wicket to take DC home.

With 32 needed from the last three overs, Kapp brought the equation down by hitting Ecclestone for two consecutive boundaries.

With 11 required off the last over, Sutherland struck two boundaries off Tahila McGrath to take her side home.

Earlier, sent into bat, Navgire (51 off 27 balls) and Dinesh Vrinda (16 off 15) shared 66 runs in 5.5 overs to give a great start to UP Warriorz innings.

Thereafter, UP Warriorz lost five wickets for 52 runs.

Sheweta Sehrawat (37 off 33) and Grace Harris (12) added 36 runs for the fifth wicket before the latter spooned a straightforward catch to Shafali Verma at mid-off off the bowling of pacer Arundhati Reddy.

Towards the end, Chinelle Henry (33 not out off 15) played a brief little cameo to take UP Warriorz past 160.

For DC, Annabel Sutherland was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/26 from her four overs.