KOCHI: The high-level committee appointed by the Kerala High Court to study the infrastructure facilities at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant has reported to the court that the available area of the windrow plant is inadequate to manage or treat the quantity of waste brought to the site.
The report also stated that the existing building at the site is in a dilapidated condition and may collapse at any stage. No mechanical devices are available at the site for the primary segregation of waste.
The committee report also mentioned that legacy waste is being processed using biomining techniques, but the capacity of the machinery and equipment placed at the site for biomining and baling is not adequate to complete the work within the stipulated time frame. According to the report, Kochi corporation has decided to construct a new windrow plant at Brahmapuram, and 10 acres of land was allocated for the project. Considering these aspects, the quantity of biodegradable waste brought to Brahmapuram may be reduced, the committee stated.
The segregation of the legacy waste at the site is not following the provisions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines for the management of legacy waste. No material-wise segregation has happened so far, and no magnetic separator and cyclonic/air density separator are made available.
As per CPCB guideline, the percentage of rejects should be less than 10%, but the rejects obtained is at least three times higher than the possible limits which is unacceptable. “Quality of good earth discharge is also poor due to lack of proper segregation. The entire biomining process and disposal of rejects should adhere to CPCB guidelines,” said the report.
Because of this, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) which is one of the main end products is of inferior quality and hence it is not accepted at cement factories. The RDF generated after the biomining process has not been transported from the Brahmapuram site. Additionally, the infrastructure available is not adequate for treating non-biodegradable waste. Only one shed is there, and no equipment is available. Besides, no scientific management of waste is observed. The report further stated that for security measures, manpower is sufficient, but adequate number of CCTV camera is not provided.