The Hindu 11.03.2013
Kochi says ‘no’ to refuse from Kottyam, Thrissur
The Kochi Corporation is flooded with offers from nearby districts to process their municipal waste at the Brahmapuram solid waste plant, say civic administrators.
Recently, the civic body turned down such offers from a few eager civic administrators of Kottayam and Thrissur districts.
“Though the corporation can handle waste from these districts, the offers were turned down fearing public wrath,” said T.K. Ashraf, chairman of the corporation’s Health Standing Committee.
On a given day, the Brahmapuram plant can process 200 tonnes of non-biodegradable waste. Currently, waste weighing between 150 tonnes and 175 tonnes is processed at the site. “If waste from the neighbouring districts too is treated here, it may give rise to fresh rounds of protest,” said Mr. Ashraf.
The city witnessed a series of agitations in the past few weeks against the dumping of waste at the Brahmapuram after a fire broke out at the plastic waste dumping yard.
Representatives of Vadavukode-Puthencruz panchayat, where the plant is located, had slapped a stop memo on the plant and asked the corporation to shut down the unit.
Though it has turned down the offers from the nearby districts, the Kochi Corporation has taken a liberal stand towards the needs of the local bodies in the district. The civic body earns around Rs.6 lakh a month from treating the biodegradable waste generated from Aluva, Thrikkakara and Tripunithura municipalities. On an average, Thrikkakara and Aluva municipalities send in six tonnes of waste; refuse from Tripunithura weighs around three tonnes. The local bodies remit garbage treatment fee to the Kochi Corporation in advance. “The waste brought from the municipalities is weighed before treatment. Then the fee is collected,” he said. Angamaly and Kalamassery municipalities too have sought the help of the corporation to solve the garbage menace. The requests from these local bodies would be considered favourably, Mr. Ashraf said.
The generation of plastic waste from the city will be curbed when the civic body begins its drive against plastic carry bags. The campaign is expected to begin on March 20. Segregated collection of waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials has been intensified. “The health workers engaged in the collection and segregation have been directed to ensure that no plastic refuse are being taken to the plant site following the recent protests,” Mr. Ashraf said.
