Chennai Corpn on procurement spree to complete deweeding work before NW monsoon
The development comes in the wake of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin directing the officials to expedite and complete all the monsoon-related works before September
The newly procured amphibious machines and ride-on sweepers
CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation, often criticised for clogged water canals and dingy streets with silt, has planned to go in for the advancement of machinery and technology used to clear the waste and weed, enabling free flow of stormwater. If the city administrators get it right, the corporation might have a better chance of handling the monsoon this year.
The development comes in the wake of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin directing the officials to expedite and complete all the monsoon-related works before September. "We have been removing the weeds and debris from the canals and waterbodies periodically for many years with specialised equipment," said AS Murugan, superintending engineer of solid waste management (GCC).
He added that the local body has six robotic machines, two amphibious and three mini-amphibious machines, to remove the weeds and debris at its disposal.
The officials noted that they have planned to procure eight amphibious excavators - an advanced machine to clear weeds and debris from water bodies. So far, they procured three machines, each costing Rs 3 crore.
Murugan added that one of the challenges is navigating the equipment at certain narrow parts of the canal, which run along the road. To tackle that, they are using excavators on floaters, and the work is on at high speed, he clarified and assured the work will be completed before September.
The GCC also has an active campaign to keep water bodies clean by imposing fines on those who dump waste in canals and rivers.
Another official dealing with stormwater drainage said they have procured ride-on sweepers, which are smaller and can function in narrow and crowded areas, as truck-mounted street cleaners could not navigate in narrow areas. Twenty ride-on sweepers were procured and will be deployed from next week, he said. This equipment can suck the dry and wet waste including dust and sand and keep the streets clean, he added.
Similarly, the GCC is also planning to increase the number of tree pruning machines to cut the trees to mitigate the damage during the monsoon season.
* Adyar, Cooum and Buckingham Canal are imperative in the mitigation process during the monsoon period and cover 420 km of the city
* But these water bodies are often plagued by waste and debris dumping, and often covered with weeds and water hyacinth
* This limits the capacity of the water bodies, affecting the free flow of water
