Page 12 - CIJ March 2024 - Digital Edition

News Track

India’s First septic tank
cleaning robot

ncubated at the Technology As per the report, Homosep
Business Incubator (TBI) Atom has already been
of IIT Madras, the startup deployed by civic bodies
called Solinas, backed in 16 cities including
Iby the Union X Science Chennai, Madurai, and
Ministry has developed India’s Coimbatore. Robotic
first septic tank/manhole cleaning methods
cleaning robot, Homosep Atom. use a single device
This robotic solution eliminates for extensive blade
manual scavenging, saves lives, cleanings, solid waste
and allows cleaning from outside desilting, suction, and
the toxic environment. Official storage.
records show over 1,000 deaths The solution also
in India since 1993. The robotic integrates Artificial
solution helps sanitary workers Intelligence (AI) to
do the cleaning job from outside inspect, clean, and manage
instead of going inside the toxic confined space for sanitation
environment. purposes.

New waste management technology to

improve life in rural India

recent report says that The survey done among nearly cooking fuels in homes and using
the waste management 1,200 rural households across biochar to store carbon, while
technology Odisha showed that over 80 percent improving soil fertility.
‘BioTRIG’, developed wished to switch from cooking
A by researchers of the indoors with smoke-producing
University of Glasgow, allows coal to cleaner options. Almost
pyrolysis at a community level all respondents also wanted
and could help rural Indians cut access to reliable grid
indoor air pollution, improve soil electricity on priority.
health, and generate clean power About 90 percent
as per a study. Pyrolysis is a kind of them were
of chemical recycling that turns found willing to
leftover organic materials into their sell agricultural
component molecules. waste to support
It works by sealing the waste bioenergy.
inside an oxygen-free chamber ‘BioTRIG’ would
and heating it above 400 degrees also provide a
Celsius. Useful chemicals are series of benefits to
produced in the process. rural communities
living below the
The researchers outlined that poverty line.
those three products of pyrolysis
— bio-oil, syngas, and biochar The project also
fertilizer — could help rural Indians envisions using clean-
live healthier and greener lives. burning bio-oil to replace dirty

MARCH 2024•Clean India Journal
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