KOCHI: A two-member team of High Court judges on Friday visited Brahmapuram, where bio-mining of legacy waste is being carried out along with the processing of other waste collected from areas under Kochi corporation.
Justices Bechu Kurian Thomas and Gopinathan P inspected the waste-processing plants, including the compressed biogas (CBG) unit of BPCL. The visit was a part of a review after the HC registered a suo motu case over the dumpyard’s maintenance following the fire in 2023 that left Kochi residents breathing toxic fumes for days. The court had earlier directed the corporation to submit reports regarding waste treatment and management measures at Brahmapuram.
The judges visited the faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP), the black soldier fly (BSF) unit and the legacy mining site to review the waste treatment process.
Mayor V K Minimol said the judges recommended exploring the feasibility of reclaiming land that had been sealed off using an engineered protective cover in order to complete the bio-mining process. The judges also urged the civic body to create awareness on plastics to reduce its overall use.
BPCL CBG plant
The CBG plant came in for special praise from the judges. Justice Bechu Kurian said that it was one of the best models for organic waste treatment in the state. Scientific management had helped the unit turn waste to fuel with little to no side effects. The plant recently processed 110 tonnes of organic waste, as it nears its full capacity of 150 tonnes per day.