Double-door fridge & steel vessels: Aerospace tech-powered weed-clearing machine uncovers bizarre finds in Bengaluru lake

Time of India

27-04-2025

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The Role of Jaldost in Lake Cleanup
In an unexpected discovery, a double-door refrigerator was pulled out of Madiwala Lake on Friday evening during a routine de-weeding operation. The de-weeding team, known as Jaldost and operated by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), unearthed the appliance while clearing out overgrown water weeds. This bizarre find was just one of many items retrieved, turning the lake into what locals describe as a "miniature junkyard", a TOI report stated.The Jaldost machine , which specialises in removing weeds and debris from water bodies, has been working at Madiwala Lake to improve its condition. Among the items recovered, apart from the refrigerator, were plastic bags, milk packets, steel vessels, books, and even pens. While the Jaldost machine is efficient at clearing large biomass, experts and local residents pointed out that proper waste disposal responsibility lies with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).T. Karthikeyan, Senior Principal Scientist at NAL, described the Jaldost machine's capabilities, stating, 'Each scoop can lift objects as tall as 6-7 feet and weighing up to 3-4 tonnes.' He went on to highlight the progress so far: 'We've pulled over 20 tonnes of waste, mostly hyacinth and garbage. This includes a wide range of materials, from metal to plastic and even a refrigerator. We're curious to see what else we might uncover when we finish cleaning the lake.'The process began when the Jaldost machine hit a "rock-like structure" while de-weeding a smaller section of the lake. On further investigation, the operator found it to be a heavy refrigerator surrounded by silt and weeds. Karthikeyan elaborated, 'When the operator tried to lift it, the refrigerator was much heavier than expected.'Once the waste is removed, the Jaldost operator dumps it near the lake's edge, where BBMP is responsible for proper disposal. Karthikeyan noted that the extracted biomass could be repurposed for various uses such as paper, cardboard, handwoven products, or even biofuels. However, without a clear plan for managing the large volume of waste, these opportunities remain untapped.While BBMP has yet to take urgent action to manage the growing piles of garbage, residents continue to deal with the aftermath of years of neglect. Nithin Shetty, a local resident, expressed concern, stating, 'If refrigerators and steel vessels are coming out of the lake, just imagine what else is down there.' Another resident, Naveen Reddy, added, 'BBMP has ignored the lake for a long time. They should first monitor it and penalize those who dump waste here. We might find a sofa set next!'Regarding waste segregation, an official from Bangalore Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) mentioned that while garbage is being collected, segregation is difficult due to the sheer volume of waste.The de-weeding machine used at Madiwala Lake, Jaldost Mark 2, was developed by NAL as a spinoff from aerospace technology. This lightweight machine, controlled by hydraulic systems, is designed to handle heavy biomass loads and is capable of operating in lakes as deep as 30 feet, although a minimum depth of 2 feet is needed for effective use. Jaldost was introduced in 2020 after BBMP approached NAL for a de-weeding solution, and it was officially launched in 2023. Its first deployment was at Gottigere Lake, where it cleared 35 acres of hyacinth in just a month. Following its success, BBMP rolled out Jaldost at Madiwala Lake last week.The cleanup operation at Madiwala Lake is ongoing, but concerns about waste management remain. Without a clear plan for handling the large quantities of waste being removed, the potential benefits of the cleanup are not fully realized.As the cleanup continues, the community and experts alike are urging BBMP to take responsibility for the waste and ensure proper disposal to prevent further degradation of the lake.