Thiruvananthapuram: The city corporation is set to sign an agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to establish a centralized compressed biogas (CBG) plant in the capital. Four potential locations have been identified, with one to be finalized soon. The plant, modelled after a successful facility in Indore, will occupy 10 acres and is expected to begin operations by April. The feasibility study has already been completed.
The ideal location is being finalized, and the land will soon be handed over to BPCL for construction, said corporation secretary S Jahangir.
The agreement will be tripartite, involving the corporation, BPCL, and the landowner. The plant, to be built under a public-private partnership, will process biodegradable waste centrally, helping the city achieve its zero-waste goal for biowaste. Depending on land availability, the plant will have a capacity of either 100 or 200 tonnes.
The state govt has decided to expand its waste treatment infrastructure by establishing five new compressed biogas (CBG) plants across the state, based on the model implemented at Brahmapuram in Kochi, which is set to be commissioned soon.
The city has been managing waste in a decentralized manner since the closure of the Vilappilsala plant due to protests.
Meat rendering plant kept on hold: Meanwhile, the corporation has put the meat rendering plant project near the airport on hold due to restrictions imposed by the central govt. "The Union govt has introduced certain restrictions on setting up the meat rendering plant near the airport. We cannot disclose the specifics of these restrictions at this time. As a result, all proceedings related to the project have been paused. However, we will continue to follow up and resume the project once an amicable solution is found," said Jahangir.
The plant was proposed near the airport to mitigate the risk of bird strikes on aircraft, which have become a growing concern. The project was initially suggested by Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) as part of its corporate environmental responsibility (CER) initiative.
The rendering plant is expected to play a crucial role in preventing the improper disposal of poultry waste in public areas and drainage systems—one of the primary factors attracting birds to the airport. The increase in bird strikes is largely attributed to the presence of illegal slaughterhouses near the airport runway. The estimated project cost of Rs 1.5 crore is expected to be covered by AAHL.
