Rajasthan agri dept deploys drone to control locust attack in Jaipur district

The Rajasthan agriculture department on Wednesday deployed a drone to spray pesticides on swarms of locust in Jaipur district. The drone was used in Samod area near Chomu in the district.

"We have started using one rental drone from today and more drones are likely to be used in next days as per the requirement," Om Prakash, the commissioner of agriculture department, told PTI. He said drones are useful for spraying of pesticides on high or rough terrains like hills where sprayers-mounted tractors and other vehicles cannot go.

The drone sprays pesticide on nearly 2.5 acre of area during a flight of 15 minutes. Apart from the drone, nearly 800 sprayers-mounted tractors, 54 vehicles of the locust warning organisation - Jodhpur, and fire brigades are being used in locust control in the state.

Over half of the districts in Rajasthan have been affected by locusts which entered the country from neighbouring Pakistan. Locusts are rapidly travelling to far flung areas and reached Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli in search of food because there is no standing crops in fields.

The Centre's locust warning organisation- Jodhpur and the state agriculture department are working in coordination to handle the locust attack issue. PTI SDA MR MR RAM.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)