AP expands drone-based seed ball initiative

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government is accelerating its forest restoration programme by deploying drones to disperse seed balls in inaccessible forest areas, with Deputy Chief Minister and Forest Minister Pawan Kalyan directing officials to speed up the initiative to achieve the state’s long-term goal of increasing green cover to 50 per cent.

Reviewing the program with senior Forest Department officials, Pawan Kalyan stressed the need to closely monitor rainfall and soil moisture conditions while expanding the use of drones in degraded forest regions where manual access is difficult.

Officials informed the Minister that more than 3 crore seed balls had been prepared across the state, of which over 63 lakh have already been dispersed across nearly 6,500 hectares. Around 59 lakh seed balls were distributed manually over approximately 6,000 hectares, while drones were used for the first time to scatter seed balls in valleys and remote forest areas covering about 1,000 acres.

The Rajamahendravaram Circle recorded the highest distribution, with nearly 28 lakh seed balls. Distribution has also been completed in the Visakha Forest Division with 7.5 lakh seed balls and the Kurnool Forest Division with 8.67 lakh. Drone operations are currently underway in Chintoor, P.T. Atmakur, Giddalur, Markapur and YSR Kadapa divisions. The Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to increase the number of drones if required.