Kochi Corporation’s Brahmapuram biomining costs to rise

NIT-C has estimated the total remaining legacy waste, including capped waste, to be 3.22 lakh tonnes. | Photo credit: File photo

Kochi Corporation will have to bio-dig an additional 1.26 lakh tonnes of scientifically limited old waste, which will further increase its financial burden.

This follows a direction issued by Kerala High Court Justices P. Gopinath and Bechu Kurian Thomas during a visit to the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant last month and asked the civic body to include scientifically limited old waste in the biomining process. The Supreme Court has been keeping a close eye on the activities at Brahmapuram since 2023 when a major fire broke out in the piles of plastic waste and lasted for almost a fortnight.

Earlier this year, the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C) submitted a report to the corporation that estimated the total remaining old waste at 3.22 lakh metric tonnes, including scientifically sealed waste. The company decided not to disturb the sealed waste and instead bio-mined the remaining 1.96 million tonnes at an agreed rate of ₹ 1,672 per metric tonne, amounting to ₹ 37 crore. However, it is possible that it will now be necessary to recalculate the costs under the directive to include sealed waste.

“We will take up the matter with Bhumi Green Energy, the agency in charge of biomining, once we receive the report of the judges’ visit. After that, we will discuss other aspects, including how long it will take to cover the demarcated area,” Mayor VK Minimol said.

The opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier clashed with the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) over an additional deal to extend the Bhumi Green Energy bio-mining contract without calling for fresh tenders. The agency is already involved in the work. However, the UDF claimed that intense negotiations helped reduce the biomining rate by ₹18 per tonne from the earlier fixed ₹1,690, saving the company around ₹60,000.

“Our stand all along has been that there is no need to touch the already scientifically limited heritage waste. We have made it clear in the council as well. It will be an additional burden on the corporation,” said VA Sreejith, leader of the LDF parliamentary party.

Former Mayor M. Anilkumar warned the UDF-led Kochi Corporation Management Committee at a press conference in January against overspending in Brahmapuram and overestimating the amount of waste to be processed there, paving the way for corruption. “Whatever needs to be done should be done, but taxpayers’ money should not be wasted,” he said, referring to the mayor’s statement that Brahmapuram required new projects to improve its condition.

The company initially signed an agreement with Bhumi Green Energy on November 4, 2023 to bio-mine 7 million metric tons of old waste within 16 months. The contract, which was originally due to end on 3 March 2025, was later extended by eight months, until 30 November 2025.

Published – 29 Oct 2026 20:26 IST