Kochi: The much-hyped compressed biogas (CBG) plant at Brahmapuram has been partially or fully non-functional for the past one-and-a-half months, severely disrupting the city's waste management system. As a result, the Kochi Corporation has been forced to stack a significant portion of wet waste on the premises of the solid waste treatment plant, raising fears that Brahmapuram could revert to its earlier chaotic state.
Plant Commissioning and Initial Performance
Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan commissioned the CBG plant in February 2026, and operations began in a phased manner. According to corporation authorities, BPCL Kochi Refinery officials reported that the plant was processing around 80-100 tonnes of waste daily in April 2026. However, in May, only about 460 tonnes of wet waste were collected for the entire month, far below the plant's estimated daily capacity of 150 tonnes. No waste has been collected in June so far.
Current Waste Management Challenges
Seena Gokulan, chairperson of the health standing committee of Kochi Corporation, stated, "We are facing difficulties as no garbage is being collected at the CBG plant. We are now forcing the black soldier fly (BSF) plants to treat additional waste; together, they currently handle around 100 tonnes a day, which is their maximum capacity. Since the city generates around 170 tonnes of biodegradable waste daily, we have no option but to stack the remainder at the treatment plant premises."
Reason for Disruption
BPCL Kochi Refinery officials, who operate the plant, attributed the disruption to delays in completing an adjacent gas purification plant. A BPCL official explained, "A purification plant is being built next to the CBG plant to purify the methane generated during waste treatment. Work is underway, and operations had to be paused for a few days to facilitate this. It should resume within a couple of days."
Mayor's Intervention and Agreement Issues
Kochi Mayor V.K. Minimol is scheduled to meet BPCL Kochi Refinery officials on Saturday to discuss streamlining the plant's operations. Under the agreement between the corporation and BPCL, the corporation is responsible for handling the slurry, a semi-fluid residue left after waste treatment. Corporation sources said this clause was absent from talks held before the agreement was signed, but it nonetheless appeared in the final agreement.
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