Kochi corporation cancels contract with Zonta InfraTech; company to be blacklisted

Kochi: The Kochi corporation has cancelled all contracts with Zonta InfraTech Private Limited, which had taken up the bio-mining contract of Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. The corporation will also recommend the state government to blacklist the company. The decision was taken in an emergency council meeting chaired by Mayor M Anilkumar. 

As per reports, Zonta InfraTech was excluded from the contract after the company failed to provide a satisfactory response to the show cause notice issued by the corporation. A new company will take over the contract starting June 1.

“The Kochi Corporation had informed the company of its lapses on matters including bio-mining by issuing notices from time to time. Zonta Infratech gave the explanation just before the expiry of the notice period,” said Mayor Anilkumar in a press conference. 

“The explanation was kept before the council. However, as it was not acceptable for anyone, a unanimous decision was taken to cancel the contract with the company,” he added. 

Meanwhile, regarding the septage waste treatment plant, it has been decided to relocate the project from the flood-prone area earmarked in Brahmapuram to a 1.5-acre site at the sewage plant in Elamkulam. This decision was made during a ministerial-level meeting following the evaluation by the Sanitation Mission Technical Committee. 

However, local opposition has arisen concerning the construction of the septage plant in Elamkulam due to concerns about increased traffic congestion caused by the arrival of 200 lorries daily. If the council does not approve the project, which would benefit other local bodies, government intervention may be necessary to address the situation.