Robotic scavenger to clean sewers in Virudhunagar

Madurai: A robot that can be used to clear blockages in underground drains was introduced in Virudhunagar by district collector R Kannan on Saturday. The machine is being launched by Virudhunagar municipality in collaboration with NGO Hand in Hand and ONGC. After inspecting the device, the collector said that the robot would help in abolishing manual scavenging, which is one of the most inhuman social evils.

This robot, named Bandicoot, has been designed and developed by a firm in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and costs Rs 45 lakh. It will help clear underground drainages in 12,000 places in the municipality. The robotic scavenger can identify poisonous gases when they are emitted from septic tanks, is lightweight and easy to operate and comes fitted with a camera for monitoring. It can enter manholes and clear blocks immediately

The Abolition of Manual Scavenging Act was enacted in 2013, but the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, has stated that a manual scavenger dies once every five days. Those who were indulging in manual scavenging will be trained to the operate the machine. It is planned to introduce the robot in all the local bodies in the country in the future. Virudhunagar municipal commissioner Parthasarathy and municipal engineer Gurusamy among others were present at the launch.