The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has planned to purchase robotic machines to remove silt, water hyacinth and other waste from the Godavari and two other rivers in the city. Based on the proposal to purchase robotic machines to clean rivers within NMC limits earlier this year, a tender will be floated to purchase one machine initially.
A senior NMC official has said, “The pollution levels in the rivers – Godavari, Nasardi and Valdevi had become a major concern as it was difficult to clean rivers manually.”
The robotic machine is estimated to cost र 7 crore, which includes expenses for maintenance, spare parts, skilled manpower and diesel for a period of five years from the date of purchase.