Andhra Pradesh is set to launch a pilot mosquito control programme using Artificial Intelligence (AI) called the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) to monitor mosquito density, detect species, and enable timely insecticide spraying.
According to a TDP press release on Monday, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department will deploy AI-powered sensors and drones to track mosquito species, gender, and density. The system will generate automatic alerts to civic teams for focused spraying, replacing the existing manual operations described as “ineffective.”
The project, the release added, will be implemented at 66 locations across six municipal corporations: Visakhapatnam (16), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), and Kurnool (6).
Internet of Things (IoT) sensors will enable real-time monitoring of mosquito density and weather conditions like humidity and temperature, eliminating the need for “blind spraying”, the release said.
Spraying drones are expected to reduce time, chemical usage, and costs, while a central dashboard will provide live data to monitor field activity and ensure swift responses during outbreaks.
Principal secretary of MAUD, S Suresh Kumar, and director P Sampath Kumar said specialised agencies will carry out the work, with payments linked to performance. Complaints will be tracked through the Vector Control and Puramitra apps.
Hospitals will send daily reports of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases to help locate hotspots. Fogging and larvicidal measures will be intensified based on these reports, the release further said.