These ‘suckers’ will help BMC clean Mumbai

BMC’s new vehicle- mounted litter-pickers will clean up trash and dust from roads, said officials

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a proposal to procure 21 vehicle-mounted litter-picker machines this week. The civic body claimed the new machines will help collect litter from tougher, congested spaces that the human hand can't reach.

The proposal estimates the project will cost Rs 75 crore, including the cost of operating and maintaining the machines for eight years. The basic cost of the machine is Rs 45.43 lakh. BMC had earlier deployed the machine in some areas on pilot basis. When that initiative was met with success, the civic body decided to introduce this machine to all administrative ward.

"We found the machine useful. This machine not only collects waste, but also fine particulate matter up to 10 micrometres. It is more powerful and quick than manual cleaning. It also cleans hidden spaces that human hands can't reach," said an official from the BMC's solid waste management department.

Its telescopically extended hose can suck dry and wet waste, and the machine has the ability to also segregate the two, said officials. It can be used to collect garbage from the community bins too. The storage capacity of each machine is 1.5 cubic metres. It will mainly be used to collect dry waste from roads and open dumping areas, added officials.

While some appreciated the hefty investment on sanitation, others said the machines would not address the issue at the root of the city's waste problem. "It is good that the Corporation can spend on machinery to keep the city clean, but it also needs to strengthen the solid waste collecting system in the city. This will help to reduce open dumping in Mumbai," said activist Sanjay Gurav.

Fellow activist Anil Galgali said, "BMC is spending money on machinery, but it needs to work on the root cause. There are many open dumping sites in the city. The Corporation should stop this." Civic activist Godfrey Pimenta said, "Open dumping, throwing waste in drains is a sign that citizens don't have civic sense. Civic sense should be included in the syllabus in schools."

Rs 75cr
Total cost of the initiative

Rs 45.43L
Cost of each machine