Karimnagar (Telangana):Despite the sewage canal being far away, the stench often forces residents to cover their noses, particularly during the rainy season when navigating the roads becomes challenging. This everyday struggle pales in comparison to the plight of sanitation workers, who tirelessly remove waste. Recognising this, students from KITS College in Karimnagar district found an innovative solution to ease the burden on these workers: the Solar Drainage Cleaner.
Prompted by frequent reports of sanitation workers falling ill or even losing their lives while cleaning manholes, the final-year engineering students decided to address this issue through their project. Their efforts resulted in the creation of a 'Low-Cost Solar Power Drain Cleaning Machine'
These five mechanical engineering students from Kamala Institute of Technology & Science Educational institution (KITS) at Singapur in Karimnagar, sought to design an unmanned machine capable of efficiently removing waste from sewers. With guidance and equipment provided by Dr MV Satish Kumar, the head of the mechanical department, they successfully developed the machine at a minimal cost, completing it within just two weeks.
The Solar Drainage Cleaner operates on solar power. It features rotating chains that lift garbage into a bin located at the back of the machine. According to the students, this battery-operated prototype can be scaled up for increased capacity if needed. Krishna Madhav, one of the students, explained the equipment and tools used for making the machine.