The Kochi Corporation has insisted on a fresh agreement with revised terms favourable to it as a precondition for clearing the resumption of the stalled biomedical waste treatment plant proposed by Clean Kerala Company under the Public Private Participation (PPP) model on 1 acre of Corporation land at Brahmapuram.

The project, with a capacity of around 20 tonnes, has remained stalled for about a month since the Corporation issued a stop memo. The civic body now demands a new agreement with its secretary in place of the existing tripartite arrangement involving the State government, Suchitwa Mission, and Clean Kerala Company. The stop memo was issued on the grounds that construction had commenced without the Corporation’s consent.

“The foundation stone of the project was laid during the commissioning of the compressed biogas (CBG) plant at Brahmapuram earlier this year. But even then, we had made it clear that construction should begin only after addressing the Corporation’s concerns, which was not complied with. We have reiterated our demand for an agreement directly with the Corporation at a meeting with the Minister for Local Self-Government. The stop memo will be withdrawn once that happens,” said Mayor V.K. Minimol.

The official concerned has been asked to show cause for permitting construction without the Corporation’s approval.

In addition, the Corporation insists on terms favourable to it. Reportedly, besides Ernakulam, the project envisages treating biomedical waste from neighbouring districts.

“We should have the authority to decide which local bodies can send waste to the facility. The Corporation must also receive a profit margin. More importantly, there should be a defined lease period after which the land is returned to the Corporation,” Ms. Minimol said.

At the meeting with the Minister in Thiruvananthapuram recently, the Corporation also stressed that biomedical waste generated within its limits should be given priority at the upcoming facility.

Last month, the Corporation decided to discontinue subsidised biomedical waste collection from households and replace it with a multi-agency, non-subsidised system shortly. At present, the civic body pays a subsidy of ₹28 per kg, while users pay ₹12 per kg. The move follows a council meeting where councillors across party lines sharply criticised alleged inflated bills, irregular collection, and differential rates charged by agencies currently engaged in biomedical waste collection.