The Society for Community Organisation and People's Education (SCOPE) and ONS Electrical Appliances have devised a no-touch pedal-operated handwash facility, with a built-in washbasin.
The initiative was to focus on conserving water, now that handwashing and maintaining personal hygiene is the need of the hour.
M. Subburaman, Director, SCOPE, said that the need to wash hands at least 15 to 20 times a day requires at least 15 litres of water. With water shortage due to change in rainfall pattern there is a need to conserve water, but also maintain hygiene with minimal use, he said.
Engineers at ONS Electrical Enterprises developed a pedal operated unit with the twin objective of saving water while washing hands but at the same time, washing the hands without touching the top of the tap.
Two pedals are present on either side of the apparatus. One dispenses soap and the other water. A user must first step on the first pedal to take soap, rub their hands with if for at least 20 seconds, and then step on the other water for water to flow from the tap.
The water from the washbasin is led to a drain. The water can be let out into a kitchen garden, Mr. Subburaman said. The unit ensures that smaller quantum of water is used.
With schools and colleges planning to open, and various government and private organisations already working, the basin could be installed to ensure no-touch handwashing, and also conserving water.
Two units have been installed, one outside the District Collectorate and the other, outside the District Rural Development Agency office.
