January 14, 2020.

 

Topic: Health and Sanitation.

 

 News:- Muktsar adopts robots to clean the manholes.

 

• Muktsar has become the first district in the state to adopt the Robotic Technology for sanitation.
• It would be utilised for cleaning manhole and septic tanks.
• The water supply and sanitation department of the state has purchased the robot from A Kerala based company for ₹ 90 lakh.
• The company would also provide 5-year maintenance and training to the local staff for 6 months.
• Big machines cannot enter the narrow streets and lanes to clean the manholes.
• Also, due to poisonous gases and unhygienic conditions, many persons have lost lives while cleaning the sewers.

 

The Robot has several advantages:-

 

1.  It possesses Cameras.
2. Robotic arm with 360° mobility.
3. A small bucket to collect the waste.
4. An operator is also there to navigate.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: Agricultural pests management.

 

News:-  Locusts attack mustard and black gram crops in Rajasthan near Punjab border.

 

•  In Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, Swarms of locusts have attacked the fields.
• Around 1600 hectares have got affected.
• Various traditional and other ways were also adopted by the farmers and the administration to deal with this problem:
• The beating of utensils by the farmers.
• Spreading smoke to drive off the locusts.

 

The Administration resorted to:-

 

• Spraying Malathion and other Organophosphates to eliminate the worms.
• It has also been said that a swarm of locusts has come from across the border.

 

The things to note here are:-

 

• Locusts attack is witnessed during summers ( June to July) and rainy season.
• This attack of locusts has been unprecedented.
• Last major locusts attack took place in Rajasthan in 1983.
• The Agricultural department and The Universities should come up with an action plan and organic pesticides to deal with such menaces.

(Source: The Tribune)

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