In a first, drone used to clear locust swarms in Chomu
by TNNImage Source : PTI
JAIPUR: In a first, the state agriculture department is using a drone to clear locusts in the state.
The first batch of tailor-made drones given by the Union ministry of agriculture was handed over to the state agriculture department on Tuesday. Its operation started on Wednesday morning at Samod village in Chomu tehsil of Jaipur to clear a big swarm of locusts which arrived in the area a day ago.
These are designed to spray 10-litre of chemicals, along with creating a sound that would disperse the locusts into different areas. “It has successfully contained the movement of locusts in an open area and on the foothills where it was not possible for the usual tractors to make it reach. A detailed assessment of its impact is being studied by the field officers,” said Om Prakash, commissioner, state agriculture department. An official at the agriculture department says that they are soon rolling a tender for engaging 30 drones for the said purpose.
The spray tank attached with a drone is exhausted within 10 minutes of its flight. Thereafter, it gets refilled by the handler through a tractor. It is a cost-effective measure for the state agriculture department and the Locust Warning Organization (LWO).
“The biggest advantage of the drone is that it can fly above the flying zone of the locusts giving the flexibility to the officials to carry out combat operation while they are flying. Earlier, the operations were restricted to when they resting on a tree or on a crop,” said Prakash.
Their demand for drones is in the hundreds but due to the lockdown, it is not being made available by the state. “In fact, the state is running short of drones as they are being used in surveillance of areas under the curfew of the local administrations,” said an official.
Meanwhile, the agriculture department has demanded personal protection equipment’s (PPE) For their field officers as they have to run from one place to another following the movement of locust.
In Video:Jaipur: In a first, drone used to clear locust swarms in Chomu