Drones and mist cannons help India’s energy sector fight virus

A drone at a municipal office in Chennai on March 26. Using drones to monitor social distancing at refineries is one of the measures employers in India’s labour-intensive oil, gas and coal industries are taking to ensure the Covid-19 outbreak doesn’t hobble operations in the world’s third-largest energy consumer. — AFP

As Covid-19 infections across India rise beyond the two-million mark, the country’s energy companies are coming up with novel solutions to keep the virus at bay and their operations running.

From drones used to monitor social distancing at refineries to giant mist cannons that spray disinfectants near workers’ quarters, employers in India’s labour-intensive oil, gas and coal industries are taking extreme measures to ensure the outbreak doesn’t hobble operations in the world’s third-largest energy consumer.