New generation technology may provide a boost to lake rejuvenation initiatives. An artificial intelligence startup, Bariflo Labs, has developed devices that can provide information about the health of water in a lake, tank, or other body of water. These revelations will lead to the implementation of corrective measures to revitalise the waterbodies and irrigation tanks.
The water quality has an impact on the fish that are cultivated, as well as the crops and vegetables that are grown in that water. According to Mrityunjay Sahu, Chief Technology Officer, Bariflo Labs, knowing how different metrics are changing can allow them to take appropriate steps to minimise losses.
The startup, which is part of the T-Revvup AIM’s accelerator programme, uses a dashboard to display water quality information at various depths of a waterbody. “To overcome the difficulties in the water segment, we’re leveraging robotics, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things,” he stated.
According to Sahu, the company has a unique aeration system that diffuses air to the sediment level, where the bulk of aquatic organisms live. This helps to maintain dissolved oxygen levels while reducing the energy consumption of aquaculture pumps by up to 75% and capital costs by 20%.
The device forecasts dissolved oxygen, unionised ammonia, phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, sulphide, and oxidation-reduction potential (a lake’s or river’s ability to cleanse itself or break down waste products like pollutants and dead plants and animals). Depending on the values recorded, the monitoring devices are turned on. According to him, the enhanced state of the water body will result in a 15% increase in fish productivity.
“Water hyacinth and others make maintenance of waterbodies difficult and convert them to mosquito breeding grounds that emanate foul smell and emit greenhouse gases. Maintaining water quality will lead to soil moisture going up, which has a bearing on the flora and fauna,” said Sahu.
“Telangana curtailed migration of people by prioritising livelihoods to farmers. The Government has put in a lot of effort to rejuvenate about 40,000 lakes to create a tank-based irrigation system. However, continuous management of these waterbodies is needed to ensure that the farmers continue to benefit. Inland fisheries along with agriculture (short duration crops like tomato, bell pepper, coriander and others) will enhance revenues to the farmers as well as the Government,” he said.
“There are about 200 lakes in Hyderabad that need proper support. The civic bodies clean up but what is needed is rejuvenation to support life. We have approached Telangana Government to allow us a pilot,” he said, adding that the devices cost about Rs 3.5 lakh and are suited mainly for medium to large farmers. “We will guide them in cultivating commodities and later also link them to the market as well,” he said.
