A major controversy has broken out within the Kochi Corporation council, with the ruling front and the opposition trading accusations over a steep increase in the rates charged for collecting biomedical waste from city households. The dispute centers on the fee per kilogram that residents must now pay for the disposal of sanitary and medical waste.
The Core of the Controversy: A Sharp Price Hike
Opposition councillors have raised a strong objection against the current rate, alleging that the private agency entrusted with the collection is now charging a hefty Rs 45 per kilogram. They contrast this with the previous, subsidized rate of Rs 12 per kg, which was in effect when the corporation provided financial support. This significant jump has become a flashpoint for public concern and political debate.
Conflicting Claims and Past Decisions
The ruling front's position appears divided. One section of councillors claims the decision to set the rate at Rs 45 was actually made by the previous council. Another group within the same front asserts that the private firm is collecting the higher charge with the explicit approval granted by the earlier corporation council.
However, councillors from the LDF have firmly rejected these claims. They presented a different narrative, backed by specific dates and decisions. V A Sreejith, the LDF parliamentary party secretary in the corporation, stated that the previous council had decided on a much lower rate. On October 25, 2025, the health standing committee decided to collect biowaste at Rs 11.5 per kg, a decision that was formally approved by the full council on November 4, 2025.
The Rationale for Subsidy and the Brahmapuram Promise
Sreejith explained that this subsidized approach was adopted specifically considering the financial difficulties faced by families with young children and bedridden patients who regularly generate such waste. He clarified that while the state government's guidelines permit charges of up to Rs 45, the Kochi Corporation, through its own council decision, had chosen to provide the service at a reduced rate to ease the burden on citizens.
The solution, according to the LDF, lies in the new facility at Brahmapuram. Sreejith revealed that the construction of a plant capable of processing sanitary napkins has been completed at Brahmapuram, and vehicles for waste collection are already available. "The health standing committee decided to collect biowaste at Rs 11.5 per kg once the new plant at Brahmapuram becomes operational," he said, demanding that the new plant be made functional at the earliest to eventually provide free services to the public.
The row highlights the administrative and political challenges in managing essential civic services like biomedical waste disposal. With both sides citing different past decisions, the immediate resolution for Kochi's residents remains uncertain, leaving them to bear the cost of the increased charges amidst the political crossfire.
