New sewerage treatment plant soon

KOCHI: In order to strengthen the sewerage system of the city, the Kochi Corporation is planning to set up a new sewerage treatment plant at Brahmapuram. The new plant, according to a top Corporation official, will solve the issue of unscientific disposal of septic waste which causes serious health and environmental hazards. The civic body is planning to construct the new plant at Brahmapuram which will treat sewage of various divisions under the Corporation as well as neighbouring municipalities and panchayats. The decision to build the new plant was taken at the Kochi Corporation Health Standing Committee meeting held the other day. "The construction of the new plant will have to be discussed at the Corporation Council meeting. The plan will be finalised only after obtaining the council's nod," Kochi Corporation Health Standing Committee chairman T K Ashraf said. A feasibility study has to be conducted after discussing the plan in the council. "At present the civic body holds 100 acres of land at Brahmapuram. A special team under the Health Standing Committee will visit the place to identify a suitable location. The feasibility study will focus mainly on the type of plant to be set up. As per the initial idea, we are planning a modernised treatment plant," he said.Ashraf said that waste will be transported to the proposed plant through tanker lorries. "There are several issues related to the disposal and dumping of septic waste into rivers and remote areas. The new plant will solve the issue," he said.Ashraf said that as there is no need for any land acquisition to set up the plant, the civic body is hopeful of constructing it in a time-bound manner. "There is no need to construct pump houses and lay pipes so there won't be much constraint in setting up the plant," he said.