New options for processing degradable and plastic waste are being considered for Kochi.

The civic administrators of Kochi, who are touring Pune and Delhi for familiarising themselves with the innovative techniques of management of municipal solid waste, have extended invitations to two groups to demonstrate their methods in the city. A company operating a plant capable of producing fuel from plastic and another one which owns the technology for converting biodegradable waste into manure in 10 days have been invited to Kochi.

Apparently giving preference to political considerations over eligibility norms, the Centre is all set to clear the Kochi Metro Rail project, which will have three coaches in the first phase and will thus be the smallest metro in the country. The matter is likely to come up in the Union Cabinet meeting on Thursday. Sources in the Union Urban Development Ministry said that last month, the Ministry forwarded the Rs 5,200-crore project connecting Alwaye to Pettah in the district to the Union Cabinet for final approval.

The damaged internal roads and waterlogging inside the solid waste treatment plant are hampering the clearing of accumulated waste and fertiliser at Brahmapuram Municipal Solid Waste Treatment plant of the Kochi Corporation.

Water from the nearby water body is reaching the floor of the plant and soaking the waste. A temporary bund has been constructed for preventing water incursion. When it rains, the rain water too spreads dampness on the waste, making the processing nearly impossible, said the officials of the agency which took up the assignment to run the plant.

KOCHI: In a major initiative to find a solution to the drinking water woes of West Kochiites, a Rs 1,000-crore project is being prepared by the state government in association with various agencies. The project, which is expected to be completed in three years, will benefit the residents of Varappuzha, Cheranalloor, Eloor, Mulavukad and surrounding areas. The project is being planned as part of the Japan-aided drinking water project, said Hibi Eden MLA.

ThiruvananthapuramKerala, counting on debt funding by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to feed 80% of its proposed R1.18-lakh-crore high-speed rail corridor project, is likely to corner some Japanese industrial investment too, as if in bonus.

A business team, led by Japanese diplomatic officials, has been in talks with state industry officials on a project for manufacturing advanced technology components for high-speed trains.

KOCHI: As the call against the industrial pollution caused by plywood factories strengthens, hundreds of people took part in a protest march to the District Collectorate on Monday.

The protest march, led by the Action Council for Environmental Protection, sought the cancellation of licences of the plywood manufacturing units in the worst polluted areas, a stop in approving licences to companies in residential areas, ban on the night-time functioning of the companies and raised various other demands. The march was inaugurated by social activist C R Neelakandan.

The School of Management Studies, CUSAT, has submitted the interim report on parking at Metro stations to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd.

The report suggests that the need of parking facility is more in the suburban areas and it decreases towards the inner parts of the city. The final report on the same will be submitted in 3 to 4 weeks' time.

KOCHI: To prevent the illegal dumping of waste in public places, the Corporation will soon launch a special health squad. The squad will be divided into four units consisting of officials from the health department of the Corporation.

Announcing the plan to set up the units at the launch of the pre-monsoon cleaning programme ‘Mazhayethum Munpe’, Mayor Tony Chammany said that the primary objective of the health squad is to make sure that the waste treatment methods are strictly followed by the public.

Several farmers here are up in arms against the proposed Gas Authority of India Ltd project to lay a pipeline from Kochi to Bangalore via Erode district for transporting gas.

They have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government and the Gas Authority of India Ltd not to go ahead with the plan.

The farmers in a memorandum to the District Collector last evening stated that the GAIL proposed to dig trenches on agricultural lands in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem and Dharmapuri districts to take the gas through pipelines.

The Kerala Government and Petronet LNG will sign a contract for setting up a Rs 2,250-crore power plant as part of the LNG terminal at Puthuvype in Kochi.

This will be a combined cycle gas turbine project with a capacity of 356 MW, an official spokesman announced here.

A decision to sign the contract was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy.

Petronet officials are of the view that ‘cold energy’ from the power plant would add significantly to the State’s energy security.