A view of FSTP at Anatharaveli near Cherthala.
A faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) constructed at Anatharaveli in Cherthala is set to become operational. It will be inaugurated by Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh on March 28 at 5 p.m.
The plant, equipped with modern facilities, was constructed by the Cherthala municipality for the scientific processing of toilet waste. It is the first civic body in Alappuzha district to construct an FSTP. The plant was set up on a piece of land in Thaneermukkom grama panchayat, which is under the possession of the Cherthala municipality, at a cost of ₹7.33 crore under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative.
Officials said the FSTP with a capacity of 250 kilolitres per day would treat waste from Cherthala municipality and nearby grama panchayats. The Mumbai-based company that built the FSTP has signed an agreement with the civic body to maintain the plant for 10 years.
The municipality also plans to process the treated sludge into fertilizer and sell it. The plant, according to officials, will operate based on the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor technology, which recycles toilet waste and converts solid waste into fertilizer. Besides producing fertilizer, the treated water will be used to irrigate plants in the green belt around the facility and water gardens along National Highway 66 and other areas.
The contract for the FSTP was awarded in 2022. However, the project faced delays due to local protests. Residents approached the Kerala High Court against the plant, but the court directed them to take up their concerns with the government. Following this, the Local Self-Government department and Mr. Rajesh intervened and held talks with those opposing the project. To address their concerns, the government facilitated site visits to FSTPs at Muttathara and Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, to better understand their functioning.
In February 2023, Mr. Rajesh visited Anatharaveli and held further discussions with residents to address their apprehensions, after which the project was fast-tracked.
The establishment of the FSTP comes at a time when the district is facing severe environmental and water pollution issues due to the lack of scientific septage treatment systems. The plant is expected to help mitigate the problem to some extent.
Published – March 23, 2025 07:09 pm IST
