Prayagraj: To ensure pristine Ganga-Yamuna during Maha Kumbh, the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has deployed a high-tech trash skimmer that removes 10 to 15 tons of garbage daily, complementing manual cleaning efforts, official sources said here on Tuesday.
Sources said that the Yogi government is continuously striving to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cleanliness vision, with preparations for the world's largest gathering, Maha Kumbh, having begun four years ago.
To ensure that devotees get clean and pure water while taking a holy dip in Sangam, a trash skimmer machine was installed, initially removing 50-60 quintal of garbage daily. Seeing its efficiency, another machine was purchased by the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation two years ago, doubling the speed of river cleaning operations.
It may be noted that a trash skimmer collects floating waste from the water’s surface, making it ideal for cleaning rivers, ports and seas which removes plastic, bottles, religious offerings, clothes, metal objects, puja waste and even dead animals or birds. The machine is also effective in removing water hyacinth and aquatic weeds, ensuring clean and navigable waterways.
The trash skimmer machine deployed for cleaning the Ganga and Yamuna has a capacity of 13 cubic meters and covers a four-kilometer stretch of the river. This includes the Sangam area and other key locations, including the Boat Club. The machine is efficiently cleaning both rivers simultaneously.
According to officials, the amount of waste collected has increased 20 times since the start of Maha Kumbh. The machine effectively removes flowers, garlands, dona-petal, incense wrappers, plastic, coconuts, clothes, and other floating waste from the river's surface.
Municipal Corporation officials have designated a disposal site near Naini for the waste collected by the machine. From there, it is transported daily to a processing plant in Baswar. At the plant, coconut shells, plastic, and other materials are sorted and separated, plastic waste is sent for recycling, while organic waste is processed into compost.
The machine, sourced from Mumbai, is being operated and maintained by the supplier company under a five-year contract to ensure its optimal functioning and efficiency.