KOCHI: The much-delayed Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant is set to get a fresh lease of life. The state government is expected to approve the project’s request for proposal (RFP) next week.
GJ Nature Care, the Indian partner to the UK-based Biomass Energy, will be setting up the waste-to-energy plant, a pioneer concept in Kerala.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced on Saturday that the state government would soon give its nod for the plant.
“The RFP now needs approval from the local self government department and there will not be any other procedural delays,” said mayor Tony Chammany.
The Kochi corporation council had approved the RFP at a special council session last week.
“Though a detailed discussion was planned, the session had to be adjourned abruptly due to the Opposition protests,” he said.
Corporation secretary V.R. Raju said, though six companies had participated in the tendering, only two were shortlisted.
“GJ Nature Care was selected after scrutinising their credentials and the financial bid,” the mayor said.
The estimated cost of the new plant, with a capacity to treat 300 tonnes of solid waste per day, will be close to Rs 600 crore.
The corporation has to transport the required quantity of garbage to the plant. If the local body does not carry this out, it will have to pay penalty.
At present, the city generates nearly 165 tonnes of waste a day and the requirement of 300 tonnes of waste can be met only if the four adjoining municipalities and 11 panchayats also carry their waste to Brahmapuram.
The existing waste treatment plant there had to be abandoned as it was in a sinking stage.
However, there are apprehensions over the success of the waste-to-energy plant as the concept has not been successfully tested anywhere in the country.
