Many trials have been made by Government authorities and other agencies to get rid of this menace. Lot of manual labour also have been put in but was of no fruitful results.
This problem has been taken as a challenge and we decided to develop a mechanical Weed Harvester to remove the weeds in an efficient way on a time-bound basis, to reduce the menace. A number of these special equipments may have to operate simultaneously at different locations for positive results.
This special equipment or Harvestor consists of a barge made of steel fitted with belt conveyors, all driven by a marine diesel engine of adequate capacity for operating the hydraulic system. Navigation is by propellers or paddle wheels. The steel fabricated hull will be about 6 M long and 3.50 M wide with a draft of only 25 cm when empty and about 50 cm when fully loaded with weeds, enabling the craft to traverse through narrow and shallow rivers. The weeds are collected on to a slanting intake converor system which carries the weeds in water, on to a horizontal storage conveyor belt on the barge. Here weeds upto about four tonnes can be stored for discharge on to a truck on land or another barge in water with the aid of the third conveyor. This operation will take only few minutes. With about 2 to 3 trips per hour upto 40 tonnes of weed collection and removal will be possible per day. A crew of 2 people should be able to operate this entire system.
The cost of Harvestors varies with sizes and options from Rs. 30 to 50 lakhs.
This includes fabrication of the entire craft’s steel hull, galvanized or SS metallic Conveyor belts, paddle wheels with bearings and housings, hydraulic motors, hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pumps, hydraulic pipes and other fittings, control valves and levers, marine diesel engine with all accessories, batteries, electrical systems, operators cabin with lights and navigational lamps, corrosion resistant coating of hull and other steel parts, hydraulic oil and fuel tanks of adequate capacities, set of tools, etc.
Contact
P.P.Thomas, Kelachandra, Chingavanam, Kottayam.
Ph: 0481-2430325, 2430596, Cell No: 9895043090