Can this portable robot end septic tank deaths once it is deployed?
The Hindu
A group of researchers from IIT Madras develops a robot that can help clean septic tanks without people having to enter the tanks
A statement by the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry in the Lok Sabha, which was reported in The Hindu, conveyed that in the five years till December 31, 2020, there have been 340 deaths due to manual scavenging in sewers and septic tanks in 19 States and Union Territories, with Uttar Pradesh (52), Tamil Nadu (43) and Delhi (36) leading the list. Maharashtra had 34 and Gujarat and Haryana had 31 each, according to the statement. This is despite bans and prohibitory orders.
A group from Mechanical Engineering Department and Center for Non-Destructive Testing (CNDE) of IIT Madras has developed a robot that can, if deployed extensively, put an end to this practice of sending people into septic tanks. The robot, named HomoSEP (“homogeniser of septic tanks”) has taken the group about three years to develop.
The idea of making a robot that can wade through sewers and septic tanks initially led the group to attempt a fish-like model that could provide an inside look into the contents. However, on discussing with workers, they realised that a simpler device more focussed on homogenising the contents of a septic tank would be of greater help and then they set upon the journey of developing HomoSEP.