KMC launches mist canon machines

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will start using mist canon machine for disinfecting the main thoroughfares in the city amidst the COVID -19 pandemic.

Such a machine was inaugurated by KMC's Chairman Board of Administrator Firhad Hakim on Saturday at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Esplanade.

"We have been using vehicles of our Solid Waste Management department for spreading of sodium hypochlorite to disinfect various parts of the city. The mist canon machine will be able to disinfect a much larger area and will not allow droplets to spread in air," said Hakim.

The total cost for procuring the mist canon machine is around Rs 30 lakhs.

The KMC had started spraying water on roads in the city during winter last year for reducing pollution. After Covid, the same vehicles are being used for sanitising roads, hospitals, health units, and large apartments in Kolkata.

KMC's SWM department presently has 75 sprinkler machines and 115 mist blower machines for sanitising narrow lanes and bylanes and premises of apartments or houses.

"We will start using another 29 mist blower machines by Tuesday taking our total count to 144. One machine will be dedicated to each of 144 KMC wards," a senior official of SWM department said.