Finally, some dignity for city’s sanitation workers: Robot to assist sewage cleaning

Bhopal: A robotic intervention could put an end to manual scavenging in the state capital. On Saturday, Bhopal mayor Malti Rai inspected sewage cleaning demonstration through sewer cleaning machine.“It is a first of the other proposed demonstrations. There are other options to explore. Best suited budgetary alternative could be deployed. Our larger aim is to develop and install means that will lead to zero human-intervention in the sewerage cleaning process,” said Rai. She will be joined by Swach workers at Ravindra Bhawan on Sunday morning.Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 recognises manual cleaning of sewers as a de-humanising practice.Demonstrators showcased clean the sewer semi-robotic device is attached cameras which gives inside view. The robotic arm grabs sludge and is pulled out.Rai was informed BMC is in compliance with the guidelines given by the Supreme Court pertaining to the cleaning of sewers manually. Vehicle-mounted sewage cleaning machines have been procured.Robotic machine demonstrators claimed the machine is capable of removing sludge up to 20 feet deep from a chamber. Nine states have deployed the tech, they claimed.For now, Rai has directed that the working process of machines of other companies should also be studied.