In a much-needed development, Thrikkakara municipality has secured in-principle approval for 20 cents of government-owned poramboke land to establish a waste treatment plant. After nearly a year of challenges in land acquisition, this approval comes as a relief for the civic body, which has been facing mounting pressure to address waste management, especially after the Brahmapuram plant fire in March last year. Although the official order is pending from the District Collector, the municipality remains optimistic, as the process is typically a formality under current state guidelines, which empower District Collectors to allocate land for such projects.
While the municipality had initially requested 50 cents for the waste treatment plant, it must now make do with the 20 cents granted. Despite the reduction, the site holds promise due to its strategic location between the collectorate and the municipality, and crucially, it avoids residential neighbourhoods, reducing the likelihood of public opposition—a significant barrier in earlier attempts to establish the plant. The project has secured ₹1.90 crore in funding from the District Planning Committee and the Suchitwa Mission.
The current waste management process is costly for Thrikkakara. The municipality pays ₹4.80 per kilogram of biodegradable waste to private agencies, incurring monthly expenses between ₹12 to ₹13 lakh. This new plant, once operational, will dramatically reduce these recurring costs, creating a sustainable waste disposal solution for the municipality. Additionally, Thrikkakara hopes to partially utilise Kochi Corporation’s upcoming compressed biogas plant at Brahmapuram, which could complement its own waste treatment facility.
The establishment of the waste treatment plant represents a significant step toward a more sustainable urban waste management strategy for Thrikkakara. Moving away from costly and unsustainable methods of handing over waste to private agencies, the new facility will allow the municipality to manage its waste autonomously. By diverting biodegradable waste to a dedicated plant, the municipality can mitigate the environmental impact of waste dumping while simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint. This project sets a precedent for smaller urban centres in India, highlighting the importance of sustainable waste management practices.
