The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) will open up its sewage treatment plant (STP) at the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) International Stadium, Kaloor, to treat sewage generated beyond the stadium premises.
The plant’s operations will soon be scaled up to its full installed capacity of 750 Kilolitres per day (KLD). The move follows observations by the National Green Tribunal in a case related to Kochi’s waste management, which held that the GCDA’s intervention was necessary in the Corporation’s waste management efforts. Both the Corporation and GCDA were made parties to the case, after which the GCDA decided to utilise the STP to its full capacity to treat waste brought in from outside as well, a statement issued by the GCDA said.
The plant is expected to become fully operational shortly, with the GCDA emphasising that residents will be taken into confidence. Awareness campaigns will be launched to highlight the importance of proper sewage treatment in reducing health risks and ensuring a cleaner environment for future generations.
A technical committee headed by the District Collector and comprising representatives of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Suchitwa Mission, the Corporation secretary, the GCDA secretary, the Kerala Water Authority, and university experts approved a detailed proposal, which later received government sanction.
GCDA officials said that while lakhs of rupees had earlier been spent annually on maintaining the plant, operating it at full capacity would not only eliminate maintenance costs but also generate assured revenue through load-based charges for sewage brought from outside. This income, they said, could be channelled into setting up more plants and strengthening waste treatment initiatives.
It is estimated that Kochi currently generates 82 MLD of sewage, comprising toilet, kitchen, and bath effluents. At present, only 3-6% of this is treated, leaving 90-95% of the liquid waste to flow untreated into the surroundings. GCDA officials warned that the unchecked rise in sewage would have severe consequences in the future.
While the stadium plant can treat less than 1% of the city’s sewage, the GCDA considers it a significant contribution. Treatment capacity will need to be scaled up to 105 MLD in keeping with the city’s projected population by 2041, requiring a capacity of 150-200 MLD in the longer term.
The GCDA said it would continue to expand treatment facilities, including through public-private partnerships, and urged full public cooperation in viewing waste management as a shared responsibility.
Published – March 02, 2026 07:29 pm IST
