Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has used drones to assess the damages caused by the Nisarga cyclone in Konkan region recently. The recent cyclone that hit the Konkan coast on June 3 has caused widespread damage and mayhem in Raigad district. The state government is now in the process of assessing the losses caused in the hilly terrain.
“While the manual panchnama is already being done on foot, drones are being used in the coastal parts of Raigad district to assess the damages caused to collapse of communication towers, electricity poles, government schools, hospitals etc. The birdseye view generated out of the aerial footage also helps fathom the vast scale of the damage caused by the cyclone and its impact especially on the coastal communities and their livelihoods,” says Laxman Aroskar, director of DroneAge Technologies Pvt Ltd.
With no electricity and affected transportation network, documenting the damage is an uphill task. The drone assessment was done over Shrivardhan city and around the coastal villages of Harihareshwar, Aatgaon, Kundewadi and Badarkhol from over a height of 100-200 ft. on June 11 and 12. Aroskar is also trying to make a documentary on the arduous relief efforts undertaken up by the state titled “Rising Raigad”.
Aroskar, who heads the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Drone Squad Association (IDSA), believes that drones could also play a crucial role during disasters for relief and rehabilitation works. “During the 2019 Kolhapur floods, we had used drones from boats to help armed forces teams to identify and rescue stranded people in their houses,” says Aroskar. His company had also helped forest officials in Tungareshwar and Yeoor to use drones to monitor and identify illegal activities and constructions in the forest ranges during lockdown.
Drones are increasingly being used by various government agencies to scan and monitor various works. The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to use drones to scan mosquito breeding spots atop skyscrapers and mill lands. It had also used drones to oversee its pre-monsoon drain cleaning operations. The Mumbai police force had also used drones to monitor crowds and ensure social distancing during Covid-19 pandemic.
