Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
E-Governance

IBM to Help BWSSB Plug Water Leaks

Tuesday, 24 December 2013 07:36 administrator
Print PDF

The New Indian Express             24.12.2013

IBM to Help BWSSB Plug Water Leaks

Global IT major IBM will work with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for effective water management in the city.

The company will share its technology, IBM Intelligent  Operations for Water (IOW), with BWSSB and implement a pilot project free of cost. The project will help in minimising unaccounted for water (UFW) by preventing leakages through real-time monitoring of water flow.

BWSSB additional chief engineer Narayana said, “IBM has entered into an agreement to implement a pilot project to showcase IOW, which is used in some smart cities across the globe. Besides helping BWSSB to monitor the flow of water, IOW will facilitate the regulation of water as required, which in turn helps in equitable distribution of water in different areas.”

Around 45 per cent of the water supplied by the BWSSB goes unaccounted and the BWSSB loses over `20 crore every month on account of this. Narayana said IBM has agreed to install the devices and software required to monitor the water flow in 284 of 784 bulk flow meters in the city and the project is likely to take off in another two months. After evaluating the benefits of implementing IOW, BWSSB will consider implementing it in other areas of the city.

How it Works

Global system for mobile communication (GSM) transmitters would be fitted to the ultrasonic bulk flow meters installed by the BWSSB in strategic locations in the city. Company officials explained that readings from the bulk flow meters would be relayed by the GSM transmitters to a mobile phone tower installed at one of the BWSSB offices. The GSM modem installed in the BWSSB office will receive the real-time data through the mobile phone tower and transmit it to a centralised server, which is connected to different offices monitoring the data. The water information hub that is part of IOW will also provide predictive and historical analysis, which will help track leakages and other types of transmission and distribution losses.

 

A Tech Eye for Segregation

Tuesday, 24 December 2013 07:11 administrator
Print PDF

The New Indian Express             24.12.2013

A Tech Eye for Segregation

Shilpa Pawar and the Space Eye Monitoring System.
Shilpa Pawar and the Space Eye Monitoring System.

Shilpa Pawar would never turn away from piles of garbage, instead she would stare at it and think about ways to find a solution which could lead to its proper segregation. An MBA graduate and a geographic information system (GIS) professional, such was her will to crack the code of the complex cycle of garbage, that she, along with Raghu Raj, who runs Sunsoft Technologies, created a device - Space Eye Monitoring System for BBMP's garbage collection auto.

"As we started to work with MS Ramakanth, member of Solid Waste Management, we went around to monitor the segregation of wet and dry waste. While we were on our rounds, we realised that some autos were not collecting garbage on designated roads and neither was any routine time being maintained. Though the citizens vouched that they were segregating waste, they felt that the garbage was getting mixed in the BBMP autos," says Shilpa.

In order to address this issue, the duo started looking at technologies like Global Positioning System (GPS) and GIS maps using wireless cameras.

"We came up with the Space Eye Monitoring System which costs about `8000. The device has the ability to track autos in real time using a GIS map. An added advantage is the wireless camera with a transmitter, which has four hours battery backup. It helps us to monitor the auto movement, which can be viewed and recorded remotely from start to end. Secondly, with a simple web link that can shared on Facebook, the residents can watch the live movement of the auto with continuous video streaming," she says.

According to her, the speciality of this instrument is that it is compatible with any android device for viewing or recording. "The device will show the history of the route map with speed and total travel time and it is apt to be used in outdoor conditions," she adds.

Currently the device has been running on trial basis at ward no 166, Karesandra Ward, Padmanabhnagar, Banashankari II stage. "To start with, we are running a pilot project. We are covering up to 10 to 15 streets, which is one-fourth of the ward. We have a dedicated person to monitor the system. In a few days, we will be presenting the device to Vijay Kumar, joint commissioner of South. We will be explaining him about the importance of this device, which is convenient to install in autos and lorries. It is easily attachable and detachable. If found usable, they can further recommend our device to other wards in consultation with the BBMP authorities," she says.

 

Mandya CMC takes steps to bring in transparency, efficiency

Monday, 23 December 2013 05:40 administrator
Print PDF

The Hindu              23.12.2013

Mandya CMC takes steps to bring in transparency, efficiency

M.T. Shiva Kumar

Nine CCTV cameras installed on office premises.

In order to bring in transparency and efficiency in administration, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed on the Mandya City Municipal Council (CMC) office premises.

The cameras were installed a few days ago. However, based on footage recorded by a surveillance camera, CMC Commissioner M. Dase Gowda recently caught an employee red-handed while he was allegedly taking money from the public.

Mr. Gowda seized Rs. 6,500 from the employee and issued a show-cause notice to him.

The Mandya CMC has several divisions, including revenue, civil engineering, accounts, khata transfer and officials’ chambers. Hundreds of people regularly visit the CMC for official work. However, the ‘middlemen menace’ has been causing problems for people visiting the CMC office.

Authorities were urged to take measures to monitor officials, who had a nexus with middlemen.

The CMC finally installed nine CCTV cameras at key places in the office, Mr. Gowda told The Hindu here on Saturday.

“The CCTV cameras will play a crucial role in curbing the middlemen menace and will bring in transparency in administration. An employee receiving cash from someone was captured on CCTV camera. We recovered around Rs. 6,500 from the employee, which was unaccounted for,” the CMC Commissioner said.

The CCTV cameras have been installed at a cost of Rs. 85,000. The storage capacity of the high-resolution cameras is 10 days. The CMC had plans to install a few more CCTV cameras in phases, he said.

The CMC president and Commissioner can see the footage captured in their respective offices.

 
More Articles...


Page 19 of 112