The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Desilting sewer systems made safer, more convenient

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 16, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Desilting sewer systems made safer, more convenient

K. Lakshmi

— Photo: DIPR

Inspection: Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin takes a look at the safety equipment, which are to be provided to sewer workers of Chennai Metrowater, at the Secretariat on Monday. Metrowater managing director Shiv Das Meena is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Sewer workers engaged by Chennai Metrowater will soon be spared the trouble of getting into manholes to clean clogged sewerage lines, as the organisation has procured equipment for desilting the sewer system.

As many as 500 sewer staff, including contract labourers, working in field and sewage pumping stations would benefit from the use of the new equipment. A Metrowater official said the equipment would be manually operated from outside the manholes by two workers to remove silt. The equipment can be used to clean manholes that are 12 to 15 feet deep. About 50 such units, costing Rs. 2,900 each, have been procured. Equipment for 105 more Metrowater depots would be provided shortly, he said.

Tenders have been finalised to purchase an automatic version of the equipment, which could be used to desilt manholes that are 18 to 24 feet deep. Three machines, worth Rs. 5 lakh each, would be obtained soon.

The workers would also be equipped with safety equipment, such as gas masks and safety belts, which have been procured at a cost of Rs. 3 crore. Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin inspected the safety equipments during a review meeting held in the Secretariat on Monday.

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