VIJAYAWADA: Drones, belonging to the Agriculture Department, have played a crucial role in the relief efforts in the aftermath of flash floods that have inundated half of Vijayawada city.
Besides transporting medicines and other essentials, they have effectively played the role of a hawk-eye and are utilised for spraying insecticides to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases in flood-affected areas during the last seven days.
The calamity struck everyone by surprise in Vijayawada. Subsequently, Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu discussed the availability of drones with his department and IT Minister Nara Lokesh. The Ministers decided on how best to employ them for the relief efforts.
Atchannaidu discussed the action plan with special chief secretary (agriculture) B Rajasekhar and agriculture commissioner S Dilli Rao. Accordingly, food, drinking water, and medicines were distributed to the flood victims in the areas not accessible by boats and choppers.
After using the drones on a pilot basis on the first day, a total of 176 drones were employed for flood relief operations in the following days.
According to the Agriculture Minister, a total of 115 drones were used to supply food, drinking water, and medicines to 1.23 lakh flood victims. Additionally, 50 drones were used to assist in rescue and relief efforts.
As many as 11 were used for sanitation efforts.
Since the TDP-led NDA government assumed office, emphasis has been on the use of drones for agricultural purposes in a big way and officials were given a free hand in that regard.
Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University technical teams and experts from Drone Corporation played a pivotal role in the use of drones for flood relief operations. Atchan also explained the losses sustained by flood-hit farmers.