The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) used drones to carry out a fumigation drive at Mahalaxmi. Its G-South ward, which covers Worli, Prabhadevi, Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel, procured the drones using funds through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at a cost of Rs 7 lakh. The drones have a 10 litre tank, which is used to store anti-larvae oils.
Rajan Naringrekar, insecticide officer, said the drones were used to fumigate inaccessible spaces. "G-South ward has many areas that are difficult to fumigate manually. These include the roofs of dilapidated buildings and water catchment areas," Naringrekar said.
"The drone is equipped with a camera that helps us track its movement through a portable monitor," he added.
The number of malaria and dengue cases reported under G-South ward has fallen drastically this year. The officials said, from June to August 2020, it reported 900 cases. This year, only 474 cases were recorded for the same period. As many as 689 mosquito breeding hotspots were identified and neutralised by the civic officials.
A senior official said that congested areas like Dhobi Ghat have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. "Last year, due to the lockdown, many residents left for their hometown. Water entered their homes and became a breeding ground for mosquitoes. We tried to control this by using drones," said an official.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar was also present at the spot during the drive on Monday.
