TIRUCHY: For the past few weeks, sanitation workers roaming in Somarasampettai village are being questioned by villagers. Most of the queries are not about garbage collection times but on their battery-operated collection vehicles.
The four vehicles collecting garbage in the village are a cause of awe and excitement among locals. “Several people are asking us about the mileage and performance of the vehicles. They would also ask whether the vehicles faced any complaints or breakdowns. Though we have been using them for the past two months, some residents ask us every day whether the vehicle ran out of charge the previous day. We keep telling them we never faced any problems,” an employee said.
Somarasampettai panchayat has deployed the four battery-operated vehicles that daily collect waste from 250 houses. Officials said they received the vehicles from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). “Six hours of charging the vehicle is sufficient for two days of use. So far, we have not faced any complaints about the vehicles,” said Somarasanpettai panchayat secretary Saravanan.
These zero-pollution vehicles have also won over the drivers. “We have the four battery-operated and one diesel vehicle. These battery-operated vehicles can carry a maximum of 250 kg. For the diesel vehicle, on average, we need about seven litres of oil. The battery-operated vehicles are comparatively much cheaper and better,” said a driver.
Some people in the village feel the authorities are being secretive about some details of the vehicles. “We would like to know about the economic feasibility. Nobody knows the cost of a vehicle. It would be helpful if the authorities place such details on the vehicle,” said Shanmugam, an auto driver. Sources said that the cost of a battery-operated vehicle cost is about Rs 2 lakh. Officials are sure Somarasampettai would get more such vehicles in future, provided there are no complaints about their reliability for at least a year.
Apart from Tiruchy, other districts like Coimbatore are using these vehicles. However, sources said they are not feasible for corporations. “It would not be feasible to use such vehicles in cities. For instance, Tiruchy has more than 200 small garbage collection vehicles. If we use battery-powered vehicles like these, there would be a major expense in setting up charging points,” an official said.