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In Bengal, drones to collect samples, spray insecticides to combat dengue
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said two days ago that 23 people had died due to dengue across West Bengal. Unofficially, however, the figure has crossed 45 and more than 40,000 people have been affected since January by the vector-borne disease.
With Dengue related deaths mounting in Kolkata and the districts of West Bengal, the capital city’s civic body on Thursday launched an experiment with a ‘destroyer’ drone that not only takes photos of possible mosquito breeding sites but also collects water samples and sprays insecticides.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said two days ago that 23 people had died due to dengue across West Bengal. Unofficially, however, the figure has crossed 45 and more than 40,000 people have been affected since January by the vector-borne disease.
According to official figures, at least six people have died in Kolkata till Thursday and more than 3,000 people have been affected.
Though dengue related cases are reported round the year, the number of patients started rising since October, making it a political issue for opposition parties with opposition Bharatiya Janata Party holding protests in the state capital.
“The drone, named ‘Vinash,’ is equipped to collect water samples and spray insecticides. We conducted an experiment today with artificial pools created on the terrace of the civic body headquarters. The drone was also sent to the roof of an adjacent building where we don’t have access. It was successful,” said Atin Ghosh, deputy mayor of Kolkata.
“We are planning to launch the drone soon. The agency which responded to our tender has said that they can provide as many drones as we need to cover the entire city,” said Ghosh.
Officials in the health department of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said that the drones would be utilized particularly in places that are not accessible to civic officials. These include abandoned buildings and terraces.
“Vinash drones can reach a height equivalent to a 20-storey building. There are many dilapidated and abandoned buildings, government offices, closed factories, high-rises and terraces that are locked and heritage buildings that are otherwise inaccessible. We can now access these sites,” said a health official.
Water samples collected by the drones will be tested in the civic body’s laboratories. If the water is found to contain mosquito larvae, the drones will be redeployed to spray insecticides.
“We are taking all possible measures. But, unless people become conscious and wage a war against dengue it won’t be possible for the government and the civic bodies to eradicate it,” said Firhad Hakim, mayor of Kolkata.
