Decks have been cleared for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to set up its proposed waste-to-bio-CNG, also known as compressed biogas, plant in Kochi with the State Cabinet giving its approval for the project on Wednesday.
The development comes as a shot in the arm for the Kochi Corporation, which is still struggling to find a lasting and sustainable solution to the city’s perennial waste management issue. The plant will come up on the land owned by the Corporation at Brahmapuram. The Union government’s policy encouraging biofuels is also considered favourable for the proposed plant.
Initially, the proposed plant will be able to treat and convert 150 tonnes of into compressed biogas. Gradually, the capacity will be enhanced thus enabling treatment of waste from other local bodies as well.
“BPCL will bear the entire cost. The plant is being proposed along the model functioning in Indore [famed for its sustained and scientific waste treatment]. The compressed biogas generated will be sold by the oil company through its avenues. This will enable the Corporation to save crores of rupees it is now spending annually on waste management,” said Mayor M. Anilkumar.
The proposal had already received the approval of the BPCL board. BPCL had made a presentation on the proposal before Industries Minister P. Rajeeve and Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh a couple of months ago.
The company has been asked to submit a detailed project report by October 1.
BPCL had invited tender for the selection of a consultant to draw up a detailed project report. Once it is readied, the Corporation council will discuss it and decide on further course of action, Mr. Anilkumar said.
The proposal to set up a new plant was conceived in the aftermath of the devastating fire at the Kochi Corporation’s solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram in March. The existing plant had turned defunct long ago and has been merely serving as a dumping yard. Since the fire, only biodegradable waste is being dumped at the plant as the stacked-up plastic garbage had caused the blaze, leading to the almost a fortnight-long fire.
