Robots will soon replace men in cleaning up sewer holes in Kerala, ending the age-old practice of manual scavenging in the state.
- Kerala startup finds a robotic solution to end or to avoid deaths caused while sewer cleaning.
- Therefore with the objective of ending the age-old practice of manual scavenging, the Kerala government is about to replace the men cleaning up sewer holes by Robots. Manual scavenging, an abominable practice that claims several lives across the country every year.
- It has been over two decades since India banned manual scavenging, but the inhuman practice continues across several parts of the country till date.
- A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) is signed between the KWA (Kerala Water Authority) and the KSUM (Kerala Start-Up Mission) for transfer of technology and products, including the usage of robots for the purpose of sewer cleaning.
- Apart from cleaning the sewer lines, the robots can also be deployed for other underwater activities.
‘Bandicoot Robot’
- Bandicoot is the name of the robot developed by the start-up firm Genrobotics in Kerala.
- It will be used to clean sewer hole in Kerala.
- The robot has four limbs and a bucket system attached to a spider web looking extension, which can easily go inside the manhole for cleaning.
- After shovelling the heap of garbage at the bottom of the manhole, it will be collected by using the bucket system before lifting it upwards.
- It is also equipped with WIFI and Bluetooth modules.
