Residents living near Kozhikode’s notorious Njeliyanparamba dumping ground have reason to celebrate as Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited has committed to building a compressed biogas plant at the site. The Kerala state cabinet has given its approval for the ambitious ₹99 crore project, which will be entirely funded through BPCL’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.
The proposed facility is designed to handle between 150 and 180 tonnes of waste every day, transforming what has been a long-standing environmental burden into a source of clean energy. The biogas generated from this process will be supplied to GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited), while BPCL also plans to establish a fuel station adjacent to the plant to power operational vehicles.
Beyond energy production, the plant will yield significant environmental benefits. Daily operations are expected to produce 20 to 25 tonnes of bio-fertilizer as a valuable byproduct, which will be made available for commercial sale.
According to the local media report, Dr. Jayashree, who chairs the Health Standing Committee of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation, confirmed the project’s progress in a conversation with ETV Bharat. “We have signed a 25-year contract with BPCL. All technical aspects have been finalized,” she stated.
Under the agreement terms, BPCL will manage all operational aspects of the facility except waste collection, which will remain under the jurisdiction of the Green Task Force (Haritha Karma Sena). Company officials have indicated that construction should be completed within two years of receiving final government clearance.
Ward councillor T K Premalatha mentioned that preliminary groundwork has already begun. “The survey for the required land has already been completed,” she noted.
The Kozhikode Corporation has agreed to lease approximately eight acres of land to BPCL for a nominal annual fee of ₹1,000, with the lease extending for 20 years. During this period, BPCL will maintain full operational control of the facility.
Local residents have endured decades of problems associated with the Njeliyanparamba dumping ground, with some accounts suggesting the site has been used for waste disposal for nearly two centuries. The area previously served as a disposal site for human waste when temporary toilets were common in homes, with workers transporting waste from households to this location.
This project represents a fresh start after the failure of a previous waste-to-energy initiative. The corporation had originally contracted with Zonta Infratech to develop the site, but terminated that agreement when the company failed to complete basic biomining and capping work over a four-year period. The situation was further complicated by a major fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant in Kochi, which was also under Zonta’s management at the time.
The compressed biogas plant follows the successful model being implemented at Brahmapuram, with Kerala planning similar facilities across five locations statewide, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kannur, and Changanassery.
For the people of Njeliyanparamba, this development offers hope that their long struggle with waste-related problems may finally come to an end. The transformation of a centuries-old dumping ground into a modern waste-to-energy facility represents not just technological progress, but a chance for the community to reclaim their environment and health.
