Machine used to clean drains; Kochi not drowning even in heavy rains

KOCHI: The city of Kochi, which used to be submerged in a single rain, is not flooded this time despite two days of heavy rain. The reason was a state-of-the-art suction cum jetting machine tested by the corporation. It was also decided by the government to buy another machine with more capacity, costing more than eight crore rupees, and give it to the corporation. It will strengthen Operation Breakthrough and canal renewal projects.

The machine had effortlessly removed all the garbage that was solid like concrete up to three feet thick on the drains of MG Road. The mission was from seven in the evening to three in the morning for two weeks.

After moving one or two slabs of water and pumping water through a large pipe, the waste is drawn to the tank of the machine. The water will be separated and pumped back into the drain. The storage capacity of the tank is 12,000 liters. Oily food waste from hotels, mud, plastic bottles and cloths were removed. The waste is transferred to the corporation's yard.

Waste more than 15 meters deep will be drawn through a 4-6 inch pipe. A team of experts, including engineers, went to Chennai city and saw the machine removing waste, and decided to buy one for Kochi. Kochi Smart City Mission bought the machine made in Maharashtra for Rs 7 crore. Technology is foreign.

Government support

All the efforts of the Municipal Corporation to resolve the waterlogging have the full support of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister KN Balagopal. Minister P Rajeev and Local Government Minister MB Rajesh are also there with their support. It is a coordinated effort involving the Collector, Police, Fire Force, PWD, GCDA and Railways, and the results are visible.

Adv. M Anil Kumar
Mayor of Kochi