Meghalaya: Plastic waste getting filled in Umiam Lake, AI-powered robotic boat will be cleaned
Meghalaya is planning to use an AI-powered boat to clean Umiam Lake. The Umkhra and Umshirpi rivers flowing through Shillong dump tons of plastic every day in the southern part of the lake, which can only be cleaned by boat. Clearbot can clean up waste in the most cost-effective way. Clearbot is a Hong Kong-based company.
The Meghalaya government has started cleaning the beautiful Umiam Lake, which is being destroyed by plastic waste.
An official said that an AI-powered robotic boat will be used to clean the plastic from the lake. The Umkhra and Umshirpi rivers flowing through Shillong dump tons of plastic every day in the southern part of the lake, which can only be cleared by boat.
Health Secretary Ram Kumar, nodal officer of the Smart Village Movement, told news agency PTI that the river would be cleaned through Clearbot. Clearbot can clean up waste in the most cost-effective way.
Clearbot, a Hong Kong-based company, demonstrated its work for a week. The boat is self-driving and can collect 200 kg of garbage in a single session. It is one of the companies shortlisted by the non-profit Smart Village Movement, which works on various projects in collaboration with the state government.
Clearbot co-founder Siddhant said that Umiam Lake is one of the dirtiest water bodies. “It would be a privilege to see our boats cleaning up this mess in a few months, given the chance,” he said. The boat we have brought here is a small one, which can take out 200-400 kg of garbage in a day. If a bigger boat is employed, all the garbage will be cleared within a few months. Currently, some of Clearbot's boats are engaged in cleaning garbage in Varanasi and Bengaluru.
