Chennai : ‘HomoSep’ a robot developed by the researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) to eliminate manual scavenging in India, is all set for field deployment. Atotal of ten units are planned to be deployed across Tamil Nadu with
the researchers already in touch with sanitation workers to identify the locations, with Gujarat and Maharashtra also under consideration.
The robot has been developed over the last several years by a team led by Prof.Prabhu Rajagopal, Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, IIT-M
and Faculty, Department of Mechanical Engineering, together with IIT-Mincubated start-up Solinas Integrity Private Limited.
The team has been in close touch with sanitation workers and supported by the NGO, Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA) dedicated to elimination of manual scavenging in India.
At present, first two HomoSEP units have been distributed to self-help groups led by Nagamma and Ruth Mary whose husbands died tragically during sanitation work, through the support of the NGO, SKA. In the unique model being pioneered, IIT-Madras is empowering enterprises established by such self-help groups, whose key stakeholders will be women impacted by the tragic consequences of manual scavenging.
The task of further distribution of 9 more units, several of which have aleady been fabricated as per the project plans, is on, a release from IIT-M said today.
Prabhu Rajagopal said septic tank is a poisonous environment, filled with semi-solid and semi-fluid human faecal material that make up about 2/3rds of the tank.
Hundreds of deaths are reported every year across India due to manual scavenging in septic tanks despite bans and prohibitory orders. He said “the HomoSEP project is unique for the way it has brought togetherthe key stakeholders, including university (our team), NGO, Industry CSR and start-up to develop a solution to an urgent and pressing social problem. No doubt the problem is large and complex, but we hope that our efforte Serves as an inspiration for others to join in the push.”
The HomoSEP Robot can homogenize the hard sludge in septic tanks through custom-developed rotary blade mechanism and pump the tank slurry using an integrated suction mechanism.
