The ongoing dispute surrounding sewage pollution in Kochi’s Thevara-Perandoor and Edappally canals saw no resolution at a recent meeting. Representatives from the Kochi Corporation, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB), and the Apartment Owners Apex Association held firm on their respective stances regarding the installation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in apartment complexes.
During the contentious discussion, the PCB emphasized the urgency for apartment owners who haven’t yet submitted an affidavit requesting more time to install STPs to comply with regulations. Agency officials clarified that their actions are a direct response to a Kerala High Court directive to pinpoint pollution sources and implement corrective measures.
The board also highlighted that a court-mandated panel, established on October 27, 2025, to devise a long-term solution for this complex issue, is expected to deliver its preliminary report within four weeks. This committee includes key figures such as the Principal Secretary of the Local Self-Government department, the PCB Chairperson, the Managing Director of the Kerala Water Authority, and the Kochi Corporation secretary.
However, the Apartment Owners Apex Association’s counsel reiterated their long-standing argument: constructing individual STPs for each apartment complex is financially wasteful and impractical, primarily due to severe land scarcity.
The association’s representatives further pointed to directives from the Central Pollution Control Board. These directives mandate local and urban bodies to establish adequately sized STPs and comprehensive underground sewerage systems. They also argued that the sewerage network planned by the Kochi Corporation and Kerala Water Authority would likely be operational by the time older apartment complexes could even complete the necessary procedures and obtain permits for their own STPs.