Coronavirus lockdown: Drones to sanitise congested areas in Punjab

Amid the coronavirus lockdown, Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu launched a sanitisation drive via drones from Jagatpura village in Mohali on Sunday. He said the drive would be carried out all over the state soon.

Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu launched a sanitisation drive via drones from Jagatpura village in Mohali, on Sunday.

A drone set to take off as part of a sanitisation drive in Jagatpura village of Mohali, Punjab, on Sunday.

Sidhu said the drive will be carried out all over the state soon. After Jagatpura, Green Enclave in Badmajra, Jujhar Nagar and Balongi were sanitised. Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan was present during the drive. Sidhu said once material is loaded on the drone, it has a capacity of 10 litres and can fly at a height of 15 metres. He added that it can cover a diameter of 20 feet at a time and disinfect six acre in 10 minutes.

The minister said the state government is making every effort to combat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and drones can play an important part in the process. He added that sanitisation of densely populated and congested areas, especially slums, is the top priority of the government. Sidhu said sanitisation through drones would serve the twin purpose of keeping Covid-19 at bay, while also preventing dengue.

Sanitisation through drones is already being carried out in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). Sidhu assured that Punjab is fighting the virus effectively, but, we can’t let our guard and must fight till we win the war against the disease.