KOCHI: At long last, the decks have been cleared for the proposed waste-to-energy treatment plant to be set up at Brahmapuram here, with the Corporation deciding to start the construction work. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to lay the foundation stone for the plant at a function to be held by this month-end ."I met the Chief Minister at his office on Thursday and he indicated his willingness to attend the stone laying ceremony. Since he has some other function lined up on the day we had originally scheduled the function, the stone-laying will take place on March 31 to suit the CM's convenience as he will be in Kochi on that day," Mayor Soumini Jain told Express.
The plant will come up on 28 acres of land and GJ Eco Power Ltd, the company setting up the plant, has already been paid `375 crore. "Since it is a mega project which will change the face of the city, we have also approached Health Minister K K Shylaja and Local Body Minister K T Jaleel and other dignitaries to make the inaugural ceremony a huge success," said the Mayor.Despite the civic body pressing ahead with moves to set up the waste-to-energy treatment plant, it is yet to secure the mandatory clearance from the authorities concerned.
"The company will begin land development soon after the foundation stone laying and construction activities can start before the onset of the monsoon. All the mandatory clearances, including the environmental and Pollution Control Board NOC, will be received in a couple of days through the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation's(KSIDC) single clearance window,” said Amith Viswanath, GJ Eco Power spokesperson.