Kochi Corporation rules out land transfer for Brahmapuram waste-to-energy plant

The Kochi Corporation Council has unanimously decided not to transfer ownership of land either to the State government or any other agency for the proposed waste-to-energy plant at Brahmapuram.

Following a prolonged discussion on the land required for the proposed project, which is part of the State government’s 100-day action plan, at its meeting on Thursday, the council resolved to convey the decision to the State government along with other terms acceptable to the Corporation. The Suchitwa Mission had written to the Corporation seeking the availability of land for the plant at Brahmapuram by September 30, 2026.

Reflecting the sentiments expressed in the council, Mayor V.K. Minimol said that while the Corporation was open to leasing the land, similar to the arrangement adopted for the compressed biogas (CBG) plant at Brahmapuram, ownership of the land would not be transferred under any circumstances. “The Corporation secretary should be party to any such agreement, and the State government can even provide funds to the Corporation for the operation of the plant. The Corporation continues to repay the cost of the land purchased at Brahmapuram from its Plan fund, and hence ownership should remain with it,” she said.

The council also reserved the right to determine the lease period. The original master plan for Brahmapuram had earmarked 12 acres for the facility. Councillors across party lines opposed the idea of a regional plant and insisted that only waste generated within the district should be treated there.

United Democratic Front councillor Henry Austin expressed apprehension that Brahmapuram could turn into a dumping yard for waste from outside the district if a regional plant were to be established. “Liability for viability gap funding should be fixed, considering the high cost of electricity generation. There should also be clarity on remuneration to the Corporation, whether through profit-sharing or other means,” he said.

BJP councillor Priya Prasanth said her party’s dissent should be recorded if the Corporation land were to be committed to a project benefiting local bodies from other districts. “The Corporation’s liabilities, including those related to road maintenance and electricity, should be clearly delineated. We cannot allow an arrangement under which the Corporation continues to bear the cost of purchasing land from its Plan fund and meeting liabilities arising from LAR [Land Acquisition Reference] cases, while committing that land for use by others,” she said.

UDF Councillor M.G. Aristotle expressed doubts about the feasibility of a waste-to-energy plant in Kochi, considering the nature of the waste generated in the city. “The Corporation should be convinced about the project, the technology proposed, and the agency that will implement it. We should also be allowed to decide which parcel of land at Brahmapuram will be allocated for the plant,” he said.