After Kerala, ‘Bandicoot’ to dig dirt out of Kumbakonam sewers

The robot eliminates the need for sanitation workers to get into the manholes and risk their lives. An initiative of Assistant Collector of Kumbakonam M Pradeep Kumar, the robot is being deployed on a pilot basis. 

The UGD system, implemented in Kumbakonam in 2008-09, has around 20,000 domestic connections and 5,309  manholes. 

Although the practice of manual scavenging is banned by law and machines are used, there are instances of workers manually cleaning the clogged UGD system. The risky activity has claimed the lives of such workers in several parts of the country. 

The robot, which was procured under the CSR initiative of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), weighs around 60 kg and has six cameras fitted to it. Remotely operated, the arms of the robot can extend up to six metres to clean the manholes. 

Commissioner of municipal administration (CMA) G Prakash, Commissioner of Kumbakonam municipality Uma Maheswari were among those present during the launch ceremony of the robot at Sri Nagar Colony junction in Kumbakonam.