Spadework for Brahmapuram plant begins

KOCHI: Preparatory works for  the long-drawn Brahmapuram waste-to-energy plant have begun as the state government has accelerated the process  to give necessary clearance for the project. The officials of various agencies like State Pollution Control Board, chief town planner and fire and rescue department have finished the final inspection and are expected to give clearances within a week.

“The top government officials have been extending support to clear the paper works as early as possible. The chief secretary and district collector are reviewing the progress every week. We have already conducted the geo-stability testing and started work to widen the road to the project site,” said  Mr Amith Viswanath, spokesperson of GJ Eco Power Private Limited, which is executing the project on design-build-finance-operate-and-transfer mode.

Unlike in other projects, various government agencies have completed site inspection and other mandatory procedures in a record time. “Preparatory works,  including land filling and  construction of compound,  wall will begin before monsoon. Going by the current progress,  we can start receiving garbage from municipal corporations within 10 to 12 months,”  he added.   Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had laid the foundation stone for the waste-to-energy-plant, the first of its kind in the state, on April 9.

The government has handed over 20 acres of land to the company  on a contract basis and the plant will be functional in 18 months. It   will be set up at a cost of '375 crore and the company will run it for 15 years. Nearly 500 units of electricity can be generated from one tonne of garbage. With a capacity of treating 300 tonnes of waste, the plant can generate five  to six  MW of electricity per day.