KOCHI: Kochi corporation has taken the initiative to continue with the biomining of the 1.9 lakh tonnes of waste that remains to be processed and disposed of at the Brahmapuram dump yard, at a cost of `1,671 per tonne.
The move comes after the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Calicut, submitted a report stating that the Brahmapuram site contains 3.3 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste.
Henry Austin, a member of the corporation’s health standing committee, said the work to biomine the remaining waste has begun.
“Based on the information from NIT Calicut, the mayor had given administrative approval to start biomining. Around two lakh tonnes of legacy waste, including capped waste, will be biomined at the site in the second phase,” he said. The report on the re-estimation of the legacy waste conducted earlier this year was submitted this month.
Pune-based firm Bhumi Green Energy was contracted in November 2023 -- following a massive fire at the waste dumping yard in March that year -- to biomine an estimated seven lakh tons of legacy waste from the site. However, more than 7.5 lakh tonnes of waste have been biomined as of January this year. The processing charge was Rs 1,690 per tonne.
“The processing charge was reduced to Rs 1,671 per tonne through negotiations as the company does not have to set up a plant or other facilities at the site. Though the reduction per tonne is small, it is expected to save Kochi corporation Rs 50 to 60 lakh while processing the entire legacy waste at Brahmapuram,” Henry added.
The report has also pointed out that there are 29,000 cubic metres of waste above the ground and 86,000 cubic metres of waste below the ground in the capping area.
Data ‘mining’
Volume of legacy waste remaining above ground-level: 46,001.45 cubic metres
Volume of legacy waste remaining below ground-level: 1,58,000.84 cubic metres
Total quantity of legacy waste -- 3,34,528.38 cubic metres
Amount required to process 3.2 lakh tonnes of legacy waste: Rs 54.56 crore
Processing charge: Rs 1,671 per tonne
Contract awarded: November 2023