A waste treatment plant is on the way, but Kochi Corporation knows nothing

The State government has offered to set up a new plant of 300-tonne-waste-a-day capacity that will serve Kochi and adjoining municipalities. A file photo of exisiting plant at Brahmapuram.

Kochi Corporation Mayor Tony Chammany assured the Council on Saturday that the proposed solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram would be discussed in the Council.

The Mayor’s assurance comes after several Opposition councillors raised their concerns about the way the project would be executed. Chairman of the Development Standing Committee T.J. Vinod drew the attention of the Mayor to the lack of clarity.

However, the Mayor admitted that he did not know the details of the new project for which State-owned KITCO had been appointed consultant by the government.

The existing waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram had developed a series of technical snags. The corporation has roped in a private agency to maintain and run it. The State government has offered to set up a new plant of 300-tonne-waste-a-day capacity that will serve the Kochi Corporation and adjoining municipalities. State Suchitwa Mission and Local Self Government Department are taking forward the discussion for the new waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.

KITO proposal

On Saturday, the BOT (Build Operate Transfer) cell of the State government, which met in the State capital, approved with some changes the proposals made by KITCO for the waste-to-energy plant at Brahmpauram. Suchitwa Mission sources said the path had now been paved for issuing work order.

Council discussions

Mr. Vinod said the proposal for a new sold waste treatment plant had not come up at the Council so far for discussions. The pros and cons of the new proposal, including how the proposed plant would be owned and operated, were not known. He raised the question as to who would pay the consultants.

Opposition councillor P.S. Prakash was among those who demanded details of the proposal for a new plant at Brahmapuram. One of the concerns he raised was about the ownership of the new plant and the land on which it would come up.

Being proposed as a Private Public Partnership model, it was necessary to know on what conditions the plant would be built because private operators would be interested in running the facility as a profit-making entity and would not have any other commitment, he said.

The Council also paid homage to South Africa’s first black President and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.