AHMEDABAD: Standing water that remains unattended on the terraces of commercial stores, residences and even institutions like schools is becoming a major reason for mosquito breeding in several parts of the city. Typically, municipal health inspectors can collectively check 1,000 properties a day, which mostly excludes terraces.
To limit this problem, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will use the services of private agencies to provide it with two drones – the first will identify the breeding sites on the terraces with its high-resolution camera and supported by artificial intelligence, while the second drone equipped with a fumigation will be deployed to identified locations to spray an anti-larval solution on standing water. Two major cities, Mumbai and Hyderabad, and even Mehsana in Gujarat have already deployed such drones as part of the Mosquito Breeding Detector (MBD).
Once the effectiveness of these drones has been assessed, AMC officials say that in the future, data collected from the drones can be used to issue advisories and even fines to owners for mosquito breeding.
A senior health official told TOI that drones can spray an anti-larval agent at the rate of one acre in ten minutes. Currently, the drones used in Mumbai can reach a height of 45 meters with the fumigation tank. “Large waterlogged areas, ponds, etc. are other areas where such drones can be useful and can be deployed,” adds the AMC health officer.
In the eastern parts of the city, there are several one-story shops, such as those selling sanitary ware, which use terraces to store discarded products, which then collect rainwater and become breeding places. “In areas where there are legal obstacles, manual verification will be carried out by our officers, but in western areas, most residential terraces will be monitored for breeding using drones. We will also deploy these drones in areas where more cases of malaria or dengue fever are being reported,” the official adds.
To limit this problem, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will use the services of private agencies to provide it with two drones – the first will identify the breeding sites on the terraces with its high-resolution camera and supported by artificial intelligence, while the second drone equipped with a fumigation will be deployed to identified locations to spray an anti-larval solution on standing water. Two major cities, Mumbai and Hyderabad, and even Mehsana in Gujarat have already deployed such drones as part of the Mosquito Breeding Detector (MBD).
Once the effectiveness of these drones has been assessed, AMC officials say that in the future, data collected from the drones can be used to issue advisories and even fines to owners for mosquito breeding.
A senior health official told TOI that drones can spray an anti-larval agent at the rate of one acre in ten minutes. Currently, the drones used in Mumbai can reach a height of 45 meters with the fumigation tank. “Large waterlogged areas, ponds, etc. are other areas where such drones can be useful and can be deployed,” adds the AMC health officer.
In the eastern parts of the city, there are several one-story shops, such as those selling sanitary ware, which use terraces to store discarded products, which then collect rainwater and become breeding places. “In areas where there are legal obstacles, manual verification will be carried out by our officers, but in western areas, most residential terraces will be monitored for breeding using drones. We will also deploy these drones in areas where more cases of malaria or dengue fever are being reported,” the official adds.
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