With protest brewing against the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Kothi and with the agitation against the one at Avikkal Thodu turning violent, the Kozhikode Corporation is determined to clear the air and convince local residents of the necessity of the facilities.
A meeting convened by Mayor Beena Philip on Saturday strived to clear the apprehensions of the people of Kothi. The Mayor promised that the corporation would not go ahead with the project without clearing people’s doubts.
Representatives of various political parties and residents’ associations in the region attended the meeting in which they sought clarifications from experts. At the same time, several people boycotted the meeting, maintaining that they did not want the STPs.
However, the authorities indicated that there was no question of giving up the project, which, they claimed, was necessary considering the rapid development of the city.
“Kozhikode has a density of population that is five times the average population of the State. Several studies have identified the presence of bacteria in water in Kozhikode. Our canals are also getting polluted,” the Mayor said in a release.
The corporation also refuted the demand to construct the plants on other vacant land instead of thickly populated areas.
“Such plants should come up at places with high population density. The 13 MLD plant was split into two due to space constraints. Under the project, toilet waste will be collected from houses and moved to the plant through a network of pipelines, where it will be treated and converted into manure and water. Such systems exist in most apartment complexes in the city. It will not cause any sort of stench,” the Mayor said.
Meanwhile, the Kozhikode Corporation also hinted at constructing similar plants in other parts of the city.
