Corp rethinks CBG plant site after Mangalapuram protest

Thiruvananthapuram: The two-month-old city corporation council is set to revisit the plan to establish a compressed biogas (CBG) plant after strong opposition from residents and Mangalapuram panchayat in the capital district. The civic body is now exploring alternative locations in nearby panchayats, including Vilappil and Kalliyoor and plans to place the issue as a key agenda item at the council meeting on Thursday.According to sources within the corporation, mayor V V Rajesh has identified the CBG project as a priority initiative, seeing it as a sustainable solution to the city's long-standing waste management challenges and a potential source of local employment. "Discussions with several panchayats in the southern and eastern fringes of the city are already underway and formal proposals are expected soon. If the council approves the revised plan, the corporation will proceed with feasibility studies to identify a suitable site," a source said.
The corporation has earmarked Rs 5 crore for the project in its budget and an agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is expected to be signed shortly.The proposal was first initiated by the previous LDF-led council as a public-private partnership (PPP) project with BPCL. The plant was planned on a 15-acre site previously owned by English Indian Clays Ltd at Koppam in Mangalapuram. However, the Mangalapuram panchayat passed a resolution opposing the project last year, citing concerns about environmental impacts and possible risks to local residents. The move effectively stalled the plan and the previous council later put the project on hold.CBG plants convert source-segregated biodegradable municipal solid waste into renewable fuel through anaerobic digestion and purification. Such facilities are part of the state's broader push to promote waste-to-energy technologies.On Feb 28, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Kerala's first CBG plant at Brahmapuram in Kochi. The facility processes 150 tonnes of waste each day and produces around 5.6 tonnes of compressed biogas along with 28 tonnes of organic manure. Officials said the purified gas will be piped directly to Kochi Refinery for use as fuel, demonstrating the technology's potential in both clean energy generation and waste management.The Brahmapuram facility, constructed by BPCL, is among several CBG plants planned across the state, with proposed sites in Palakkad, Kollam, Kozhikode and Thrissur under government sanction.A corporation official said a locally located CBG plant could complement the city's decentralised waste management system, which relies on source segregation and on-site processing for bulk waste generators such as housing societies, hotels and institutions.Opposition leaders and Mangalapuram residents, however, remain firmly opposed, citing concerns over odour, increased traffic and potential environmental impacts. Officials say alternative sites are being examined to balance community concerns with the corporation's sustainability goals.