The Kochi Corporation sells the plastic waste it collects to a private company for the pitiful sum of Rs 1.5 per kg. For the past ten years, it has sold the waste at the same price, accruing losses in the thousands of crores. At a cost of Rs 15-20 per kilogramme, the government-owned ‘Clean Kerala Company’ is now collecting plastic debris from neighbourhood self-government organisations.
Since 2012, the Corporation has started selling the Bharat Traders company the plastic garbage that it transports to the Brahmapuram plant. Prior to the start of the Clean Kerala Company project, the then-mayor gave the company authorization to sell its garbage.
However, the previous contractor is still in play because Clean Kerala Company hasn’t yet been put into action. Since 2012, the Corporation has not called for bids to award the project. Around 300 tonnes of plastic trash arrive in Brahmapuram each month, totaling 3,600 tonnes yearly (36,00,000 kg).
The corporation should be making Rs 54 lakh at the going rate of Rs 1.5 per kg. However, the Corporation only earned Rs 17.31 lakh in 2021–2022 The Corporation would have received between Rs 3 and Rs 4 crore if the same had been given to the Clean Kerala Company.
Although they had previously contacted the Kochi Corporation authorities for the collection of plastic debris, according to Clean Kerala Company MD Suresh Kumar, they had not received a favourable answer.
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