HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has procured two Floating Trash Collectors (FTCs) with an objective of keeping the surfaces of lakes in the city clean. The machines move on water, collecting trash and other floating material, including water hyacinth and weeds. The machines will also aide in the reduction of human intervention in hostile environments.
The machines have been procured from Cleantec Infra, Mumbai at the cost of Rs 3 crore. The agency would operate and maintain the machine for two years at the rate of Rs 54 lakh per annum. The FTCs will be deployed at any lake where water hyacinth might exist.
HMDA officials said that FTCs will be deployed over the next two months at Chandan Cheruvu, Jillelguda, Mancheryal Talab, Meerpet, Saroornagar. They will become operational on March 24. For collection and removal of floating material, garbage and remains of idols immersed during Ganesh and Durga festivals from Hussainsagar, it had procured two dredging utility craft machines earlier.
Congress complains to CEO
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has claimed that the unveiling of floating trash collectors, purchased by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, was a violation of model code of conduct (MCC). It has sent a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar, claiming that the Secretariat’s Publicity Cell arranging vehicle for the event’s coverage was against the spirit of the model code.