India adopts AI-generated boats to clean rivers

Having come a long way from the ‘Clean India Mission’ launched in 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has today resorted to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to clean its water sources.

For the first time in the country and in the region, the Centre For Innovation Policy and Social Change (CIPSC) has developed a remote-controlled boat powered by AI to clean the Gomti River near the Laxman Mela Ghat in Lucknow, India.

Since the boat will be powered by solar, there will be no emissions and it will be fully environment-friendly. Having many polluted water resources in Colombo, maybe Sri Lanka too can explore the possibility of adopting AI trash boats like in India.

According to the CIPSC, the boat has sensors to detect floating waste and collect them to a platform attached to the boat. It can also clear water hyacinth on the river which will help clear rivers across India easier and much more efficiently.

To take out the micro waste along with the common waste, the boat will dump two quintals of waste out of the river every hour without pollution.

CIPSC Director Karishma Sabharwal said the trials are being conducted after several months of research and that it will be given to the municipal corporation as soon as the 30-day trial is completed.

“The small mesh in the robotic trash boat can take out even the smallest of river waste. The boat can clean any kind of garbage from polythene to hyacinth.”

Explaining how the mapping takes place, Sabharwal said that this automated machine is equipped with real-time monitoring and surveillance.

The boat can be controlled by a person sitting on the bank of the river through a remote. The sensor installed in it automatically brings the boat to the shore after two quintals of waste is collected.

She said if three to four boats are deployed from Pucca Pul in the old city to Nishatganj bridge, the Gomti in the city will look clean.

The boat has a front-facing camera which automatically detects the plastic, hyacinth and other waste lying in the water and collects it.

The waste is collected in the rear storage through the conveyor belt in the boat.

At present, the storage capacity is 200 kg. Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob has directed to improve the load-bearing capacity of the boat up to 1,000 kg.

Once the bin is full, the boat automatically moves to the hub with the help of GPS and disposes of the trash at the hub.

CIPSC Director Sabharwal said that the indigenously built automated robotic boat was a zero-carbon emission boat, powered by solar energy.

The boat was introduced under the ‘Clean Gomti campaign’ launched by Puneet Sagar Abhiyan and organised jointly by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, NCC Directorate and Lok Bharati Sansthan at Gau Ghat under Swachhta Pakhwada.

While participating in this campaign the CS directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to develop an ‘upvan (park)’ near the Gau Ghat.

“We worship the river Gomti, Lucknow’s lifeline, during Chhath puja. We need water for worship. It is our life and the vision of a clean India will be realised only when people participate in this campaign for clean rivers,” he said.

“One should take inspiration for cleanliness from the Prime Minister who started the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Today people are now aware about cleanliness. Public participation is very important in this cleanliness drive. People should neither spread dirt nor allow anyone else to spread it,” the CS said.

He said that today we can live a good and disease-free life by avoiding many diseases by respecting our environment. He said that good health is possible only when our environment is pollution free and clean. Today, our Uttar Pradesh has reached the top-5 in the case of Swachh Survekshan. This became possible only when the government employees started working in coordination with the people.

He also said that a clean environment is something which also promotes tourism.

In the past, many attempts have been made for cleaning the waters of the Gomti River, despite which, the degradation of the quality of water continues. Untreated industrial waste from the sugar factories and distilleries and effluents discharged from the sewage systems of the cities situated on the banks of the rivers have deteriorated the water quality of the river.

Amidst the rising levels of pollution, the AI-powered trash boat might prove to be a good initiative for the removal of solid waste and the growth of water hyacinth which chokes up the waterline of the river.

Perhaps, this is an initiative Sri Lanka too can explore since the country has its fair share of polluted water sources. Notably, Beira Lake located in the heart of Colombo has been polluted due to unauthorized urbanization and improper upgrading of sewerage infrastructure in the city.

According to the Urban Development Authority (UDA), Beira lake is one of the most polluted water bodies in Colombo city limits. Many plans have been launched in the past to clean this lake but without any effective outcome. Maybe AI-powered trash boats in Lucknow could be the salvation for Sri Lanka’s Beira Lake as well.