KOCHI: Aiming to make Willingdon Island a garbage-free zone, the Cochin Port Trust is setting up a sewage treatment plant here. The facility is primarily intended to cater to the sewage generated in ships visiting the port. “Considering the population in the Willingdon Island and the lack of facility for sewage treatment, there is a need for development of a sewage treatment plant on the island to treat the sewage before disposal, on a chargeable basis. Treated water could be utilised for some suitable purposes. At present, there is no system in Ernakulam or its suburbs to dispose sewage as per the acceptable parameters of the environmental norms,” said the port authorities.There is a full-fledged township in Willingdon Island. Besides a large number of CPT-related trade establishments, the Island accommodates port employees, Customs and CISF personnel. The Southern Naval Command, three-star hotels and a number of restaurants are also located in Willingdon Island.The plant, which is envisaged as a commercial venture, would be run by an agency on a contract basis for a period of 20 years. The Port Trust will provide an acre of land to establish the plant.The developing firm has to procure, install and maintain the plant for the contract period at its own cost. The developer will also be responsible for arranging facilities to collect the sewage from ships either by themselves or through some agency and can charge the shipping companies directly for such services.
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