Arguments for and against the proposed waste-to-energy plant at Brahmapuram poured in at the public hearing organised by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) here on Friday.
Barring a few individuals and an official of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), most participants highlighted the need for the project but pointed out the reported pitfalls in the proposal.
KSERC Chairman R. Preman Dinaraj and member K. Vikraman Nair sat through the session.
Addressing the gathering, Giby George, managing director of GJ Eco Power, the company which is implementing the project, argued that the project would be nature-friendly.
Poornima Narayan, chairperson of the Education Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation, wondered how the company arrived at the project cost of ₹295 crore.
C.M. Joy, environmental activist, said the technology proposed for the plant was earlier rejected as unsuitable for Kerala by an expert panel appointed by the State government.
The KSEB representative described the power tariff suggested for the project as exorbitant and blamed it on the high project cost.
Kochi Corporation Secretary A.S. Anuja was present.