New Delhi, Jun 30 (UNI) Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday flagged off helicopter services for locust control through aerial spray.
Mr Tomar flagged off a Bell Helicopter with spray equipment from a helipad facility at Gautam Buddh Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The chopper will fly for Air Force Station at Uttarlai, Barmer, where it will be stationed initially and from there, it will be deployed for locust control in desert areas of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Nagaur.
The Bell 206-B3 helicopter will have single pilot operation, has a pesticide carrying capacity of 250 litres in one trip and can cover about 25 to 50 hectare area in one flight.
An Empowered Committee finalised the firm for deploying one helicopter for aerial spray in desert area, after getting all the clearances from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Later, interacting with the media, Mr Tomar said after a long gap of 26 years, the locust attack took place last year. Both the Central and state governments worked in coordination to effectively control it, he added.
It was estimated that this year there would be greater locust problem, but the Government has full preparedness and all the State Governments have been alerted and working in close coordination with the Centre, said the Union Minister.
Deployment of machines, vehicles and manpower has been increased and concerned states are utilising the SDRF funds to tackle the problem. Drones have been used for the first time for locust control and today, aerial spraying of insecticides with the use of helicopter has also been launched, he added.
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