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:-
- It possesses Cameras.
- Robotic arm with 360° mobility.
- A small bucket to collect the waste.
- 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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