Hyderabad, India · Field research & engineering

Lake Sentry

Technology, awareness and action for cleaner urban lakes: a low-cost floating robot that removes trash, and a campaign that stops it arriving.

Try the Lake Explorer Share a lake photo Discover Lake Sentry V1

Collected:Trash collected by the mini Lake Sentry: 0 pieces · 0.00 kg

The dual-solution framework

Cleaning the waste already in our lakes is necessary. Preventing new waste is just as important.

  • 01 · Prevent

    Awareness campaign

    Instagram, LinkedIn and offline installations like “The Rollers” that educate people and encourage responsible waste disposal.

  • 02 · Remove

    Lake Sentry V1 → V2

    A remote-controlled floating machine built from CPVC pipe that scoops trash off the surface with a mesh conveyor belt.

  • 03 · Connect

    LakeSentry.in

    A lake map, a research page for each lake, and a reviewed network of community clean-up initiatives.

  • SDG 6 · Clean Water & Sanitation
  • SDG 11 · Sustainable Cities
  • SDG 12 · Responsible Consumption
  • SDG 14 · Life Below Water

Close to home

The trash is visible, physical and ongoing.

This year's clean-up drives pulled staggering amounts of plastic from just two Hyderabad lakes, and that's only a small glimpse of a much bigger problem.

tonnes of plastic pulled from Kotha Cheruvu
15
tonnes pulled from Barla Kunta lake alone
5
encroachments around 134 lakes in GHMC limits (2022 report)
14,061
mg/l of oxygen at Durgam Cheruvu in May 2026, when fish died (fish need 4+)
0.3

Sources: clean-up drive data courtesy of the Dhruvansh Foundation; Irrigation Department report to the NGT as reported by The News Minute; TGPCB figures as reported by Deccan Chronicle.

The Lake Sentry V1 prototype: a white CPVC pipe frame on thermocol floats, with a slanted mesh conveyor ramp at the front and two paddle wheels at the back.
Lake Sentry V1: remote-controlled, built from CPVC pipe, and designed to be affordable and locally buildable.

More than a robot

An evolving environmental project built from seven parts.

  • Research

    Understanding the scale and causes of lake pollution.

  • Primary data

    Surveys, field observations, photographs and expert interviews.

  • Engineering

    Building a physical floating-waste collection system.

  • Awareness

    Instagram, LinkedIn and more to educate and motivate people.

  • Digital infrastructure

    LakeSentry.in as the central information and community platform.

  • Community action

    Documenting and connecting people with clean-up initiatives.

  • Environmental impact

    Working toward cleaner, healthier and better-maintained urban lakes, measured by the weight of trash recovered per km² for each lake.

The website is the record · social media is the reach

The goal isn't followers. It's turning awareness into action.

  1. Step 1Instagram / LinkedIn
  2. Step 2An interesting environmental post
  3. Step 3LakeSentry.in
  4. Step 4Research, lake info, survey, initiatives
  5. Step 5Action

New · prototype

See what's under the surface.

Lake Dive takes you down through a simulated polluted lake as you scroll: from a calm surface at dusk to a bed choked with waste, with your cursor as an underwater light.

Take the Lake Dive

Three things you can do this week

  1. 1Keep waste out of nalas and lakes. Most lake rubbish starts on streets and drains.
  2. 2Report dumping or encroachment to GHMC or HYDRAA when you see it.
  3. 3Share your lake. Post a photo and what you noticed in the Lake Explorer.

Help us understand Hyderabad's lakes.

Take the survey, explore the lake map, or tell us about a clean-up initiative near you.

Take the survey ↗ (opens in a new tab) Submit an initiative Share a lake photo