Over three years after the massive fire at Brahmapuram choked Kochi with smoke, the corporation is considering a revision of the masterplan for the waste-treatment hub.
Spread across nearly 108 acres on the banks of the Chithrapuzha, Brahmapuram long served as the dumping yard for Kochi and neighbouring local bodies.
Following the fire, the then LDF-led corporation, in association with Suchitwa Mission, drew up a plan to transform the site into a waste-management hub, including a bio-park, waste-treatment facilities, a solar plant, and public spaces.
The first major task was the biomining of legacy waste. About seven lakh tonnes of waste had been processed by November 2025. The contract was subsequently extended to clear the remaining waste, estimated at 1.9 lakh tonnes.
Now, the UDF-led corporation council is considering several additional projects even as past proposals are yet to be fully implemented.
“The council has decided to invite expressions of interest to set up a food-waste treatment plant in Brahmapuram,” says Seena Gokulan, chairperson of the health standing committee.
“Similarly, a sanitary napkin incinerator of the local self-government department is also proposed here. Work on a new Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) is under way. The land-use pattern in Brahmapuram needs to be reworked. Discussions are on to revise the master plan .”
The corporation has already earmarked 3.5 acres for the food-waste treatment plant. The selected firm will also be responsible for transporting waste from collection centres to the plant.
The proposal to revise the masterplan has drawn criticism from the LDF. Leader of Opposition in the council V A Sreejith alleges that the corporation is treating Brahmapuram “primarily as a land asset rather than a part of a comprehensive waste-management plan”.
“It has been almost nine months since the UDF came to power in the corporation. But the council is yet to properly discuss the projects at Brahmapuram,” he says.
“Proposals such as the windrow composting plant, waste-to-energy plant, refuse-derived fuel storage facility, and leachate treatment plant are yet to be implemented.”
Social activist and Kadambrayar Action Council member Abdul Basheer says the corporation should focus on ensuring that existing projects function effectively before revising the masterplan.
“Land has been allocated for various waste-treatment plants, but several projects are still pending or lagging. The corporation should put in place a system to continuously monitor the treatment plants at Brahmapuram.
Otherwise, such efforts will not yield the desired results,” he said. The matter is now over to a panel of three High Court judges who are set to visit Bhrahmapuram to review the progress of ongoing projects and waste management processes.
Projects on the ground
Compressed Biogas Plant: BPCL’s CBG plant is designed to process 150 tonnes of organic waste a day. It is being ramped up gradually and is expected to reach full capacity by the end of September, according to a BPCL official.
However, the increasing proportion of reject waste reaching the plant is a concern. “Segregation of waste is the responsibility of the corporation. Once, a metal substance clogged the machine and affected the entire waste-treatment process,” says the official.
“Similarly, we get carcasses of animals like dogs and rats. If these enter the chamber, ammonia will be generated. It disrupts microbial activity.”
FSTP: With a capacity of 100 cubic metres a day, this unit is operated by Aqua Techsole Establishment. Septage collected from flats and septic-cleaning agencies is processed here.
Sanitary napkin incinerator: The community-level sanitary incinerator, operated by Success Projects, can treat three tonnes of waste a day.
Legacy waste: Bhumi Green Energy has undertaken the bio-mining of legacy waste. The company processed about seven lakh tonnes until November 2025, while work on the remaining 1.9 lakh tonnes is progressing.
A major challenge is the disposal of refuse-derived material, which was earlier transported to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for use in cement manufacturing. Changes in policies in some states have made disposal difficult, says a Bhumi official.
Black soldier fly plants:
The food-waste treatment plants, operated by Zigma Global Environ Solutions and Fabbco Biocycle, can handle 25 tonnes and 50 tonnes a day, respectively.