KOCHI: The KSEB’s decision to sign power purchase agreement (PPA) with GJ Eco Power Private Limited, which is the private partner of Kochi corporation in constructing Waste to Energy (WtE) plant at Brahmapuram, has kickstarted a row. According to those opposing the sudden decision to sign the PPA, it is unfair from the part of authorities to sign such an agreement when the project has not even received the crucial Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance.

As per a communique from KSEB, the power utility will sign the PPA with the private firm in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. “The PPA should be signed only after the project gets EIA nod. We don’t understand why KSEB is signing the agreement in a hurry,” said Kerala electricity workers federation state secretary Jacob Lazar. “There are many instances in which the KSEB ended up making losses after signing such agreements without considering the consequences. KSEB is still paying fixed charges to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) though the agency has stopped purchasing power from the Kayamkulam plant. As per the agreement with NTPC, KSEB should pay fixed charges even if it doesn’t purchase electricity from the firm. Similarly, KSEB had to pay fixed charges to a private firm at Eloor despite no electricity was purchased from them,” Lazar said.

According to experts in the field of energy and zero waste system, the agreement is being signed in a hurry only to protect the vested interests of certain officials. “The undue haste shown in signing the PPA points to the possibilities of corruption. Breaching the laws first and then getting it rectified has become an order of the day, especially in the case of the state government,” said Zero Waste Systems consultant Shibu K N. “Some of the top officials are behind the move. Their aim is to constitute a waste to energy management authority and place themselves at the top of the body,” Shibu said. 

Meanwhile, officials with GJ Eco Power Private Limited said the decision to sign the PPA was taken before the general elections. “Just a formal signing of the agreement is happening on Tuesday. There is nothing illegal or unfair in this,” said an official with the firm. “The project would soon get EIA clearance. We have completed the public hearing as part of the EIA clearance. Now, we will be sending the details of the public hearing, including the audio and video clips, to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA),” the official said. He also said that approvals from other agencies like Pollution Control Board (PCB) had been secured. “So, the work on the project can be started after securing EIA clearance,” he said.