Rs 2.20 bn allotted by Kochi Corporation for solid waste management

The Brahmapuram fire, which sparked widespread discussion throughout the state, prompted the Kochi Corporation to include Rs 2.20 billion for the solid waste management project in its 2023-24 budget. According to Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar, "The Corporation's focus this year is on solid waste management, mosquito eradication, roll-on roll-off vessels, and financial self-sufficiency.

The most recent budget was the first in the history of the local body to not allocate cash at the division level, and it was presented by Deputy Mayor K A Ansiya amid chants from opposition council members. The constable abolished the budget's division-level funding allocation method. That will aid in debt reduction for the company. At each division, immediate and necessary work will be done, according to Anilkumar. For 2023-2024, the corporation budget estimates revenue at Rs 11.15 billion, expenses at Rs 10.75 billion, and spillover at Rs 403.6 million. The company reported revenue of Rs 9.73 billion, costs of Rs 9.11 billion, and spillover revenue of Rs 617.1 million for the fiscal year 2022-2023.

The company intends to build a cutting-edge treatment facility for waste management with assistance from the government. In addition, Brahmapuram's 40 acres of legacy garbage will be mined, and a waste management demonstration park will be built there. The practise of using contracted lorries for collection will no longer be used since more than 15 compact vehicles will transfer rubbish from the corporation's boundaries to Brahampuram, according to Anilkumar. He also emphasised the creation of a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) in Brahamapuram for the management of garbage, with participation from the state government and the local self- government organisations in Kochi.

In order to fine persons who dump trash on roadside, the mayor said that additional CCTV cameras will be put within the corporation's boundaries in collaboration with the city police. He declared that the company would give the police 40 e-bikes for use in patrols. A budget of Rs 200 million has been set allocated for the elimination of mosquitoes. Plans were made to address the problem by collaborating with the Vector Control Research Center (VCRC) last year. Anilkumar stated, "The health committee has chosen to seek assistance from VCRC to combat mosquito menace scientifically.”