Drones to boost surveillance along Uttarakhand border with Nepal, China

Deep Joshi, HT, Dehradun: High definition cameras installed on drones will keep an eye on forests along Uttarakhand’s border with Nepal and China, tracking poachers, timber mafia and Maoists, officials said.

The drones are also expected to play a crucial role in disaster management and employment generation, they added.

“A Drone Application and Training Centre (DATC) will be set up here soon,” a state government source said.

National Training Research Organisation (NTRO) chairman Alok Joshi had during a recent visit to Dehradun announced that the state would have a DATC soon. Joshi had said a batch of 25 youth each would be trained in various technologies relating to all kinds of drone operations.

The proposed institute would be developed by the Doon-based Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA).

“The proposed DATC will (also) help generate employment,” Amit Kumar Sinha, director, ITDA said.

According to sources, employees of the departments of forests, disaster management and police would also be trained in all aspects of drone operations.

“Drones will play a crucial role in disaster management as they will send images of the disaster hit areas, which will be of crucial importance for those engaged in relief and rescue operations,” Sinha said, adding that talks were on with the Central government on various aspects of setting up the DATC.

Drones will also prove to be a boon in tracking the timber mafia and criminals engaged in poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

“Drones will also come in handy in monitoring the forests particularly in the high altitude areas where it is not humanly possible to reach,” the ITDA director added.