After Chennai, the city corporation is planning to procure an amphibian equipment to remove water hyacinth, weeds and silt from the city lakes.
The civic body is planning to procure the equipment at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore under the smart city mission and has obtained approval from the high-power committee.
“As the equipment could be used both in water and land, it would be used to remove water hyacinth, silt and weeds along in the water bodies. It could be used in canals and lakes,” a corporation official said. “Cleaning the water bodies with the existing equipment is a slow process and the procurement of new equipment will speed up the process.”
Welcoming the move, R Manikandan of Kovai Kulangal Pathukappu Amaippu said that desilting and de-weeding the water bodies could be done effectively with the amphibian equipment. “The corporation has been using excavators to clean lakes. They remove silt and water hyacinth along the bunds as they are operated from the land. Upon using the amphibian equipment, weeds at the centre of the water bodies could be removed easily. By removing sludge collected at the centre of water bodies, water will percolate quickly into the ground and the water table will be recharged,” he said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
