Bengaluru: Heaps of dry leaves, bags of litter strewn on the roadside, and waste thrown in vacant sites will now be cleared with ease by the Bengaluru North city corporation using its newly-procured litter-picking machine.The truck-mounted machine sucks waste into its vacuum chamber. With a capacity of 5,000 litres, it can be used in places where workers struggle to reach.
BNCC commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar said such a machine has already been used by the Tumakuru city municipal corporation. “We procured a similar one and spent some time customising it according to our needs by widening the hose. We will be using this on a pilot basis,” he said.The corporation purchased the machine at Rs 65 lakh. Though there are no plans to buy another such machine, BNCC plans to procure smaller versions of the litter picker.Meanwhile, Greater Bengaluru Authority chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao reportedly asked for a proposal for potentially scaling up the facility across the city.BNCC deputy general manager Rashmi N said the machine can also be used to clear waste from drains. However, some citizens have expressed scepticism about whether such machines work in Indian conditions. “The machine works with leaves, paper and other dry waste, but it might suffer damage if it encounters coconut shells, beer bottles and binding wires – all of which are widespread on the city’s roads,” Mahesh Readdy, an activist working with solid waste management solutions, said.He added that similar pilot projects were carried out in Mumbai and Telangana, but the machines are now in need of repair.
