Smart Mosquito Surveillance System Andhra Pradesh | SMoSS Andhra Pradesh | AI mosquito control Andhra Pradesh | IoT-based mosquito surveillance AP
In a groundbreaking move to tackle the persistent challenge of mosquito-borne diseases, the Andhra Pradesh government has launched the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS), an innovative, technology-driven initiative aimed at curbing the spread of diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. Set to be piloted across 66 locations in six major municipal corporations—Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram, Nellore, and Kurnool—SMoSS leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to revolutionize mosquito control. This article explores the intricacies of SMoSS, its technological components, implementation strategy, potential impact, and the broader implications for public health in India.
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}
The Mosquito Menace in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh, like many parts of India, faces a significant public health challenge during the monsoon season due to a surge in mosquito-borne diseases. In 2024, the state reported 5,555 dengue cases, a slight decrease from 6,453 cases in 2023, yet still indicative of a persistent problem. Malaria and chikungunya also contribute to the disease burden, particularly in urban areas where water stagnation and high population density create ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Traditional mosquito control methods, such as manual fogging and larvicide spraying, have often been criticized for their inefficacy, described as “blind spraying” that fails to target specific mosquito hotspots or account for environmental factors.
 |
| Smart Mosquito Surveillance System |
The need for a smarter, more precise approach to vector control has never been more pressing. The Andhra Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who has long championed technology-driven solutions, has responded with SMoSS. This initiative, spearheaded by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department, aims to transform mosquito control from a reactive, resource-intensive process into a proactive, data-driven strategy.
Drone Subsidy Scheme Andhra Pradesh
What is SMoSS?
The Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) is an AI-powered, IoT-enabled program designed to monitor and control mosquito populations with unprecedented precision. Unlike conventional methods that rely on periodic, indiscriminate spraying, SMoSS uses advanced technologies to identify mosquito species, track population density, and pinpoint breeding hotspots. The system integrates AI-powered mosquito sensors, drones, heat maps, and traps to create a comprehensive surveillance network. These tools work in tandem to collect real-time data on mosquito activity, which is then streamed to a central server and visualized on a real-time dashboard for actionable insights.
The pilot phase of SMoSS, launched in July 2025, covers 66 strategic locations across six urban centers: Visakhapatnam (16 locations), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), and Kurnool (6). These locations were chosen based on their history as mosquito breeding hotspots, particularly during the monsoon season when water stagnation exacerbates the problem. By focusing on these high-risk areas, SMoSS aims to maximize its impact on public health while minimizing resource use.
Free bus travel for women in ap
Smart Mosquito Surveillance System Highlights
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | July 2025 |
| Initiative By | Andhra Pradesh Government (Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department) |
| Leadership | Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar, Director P. Sampath Kumar |
| Pilot Locations | 66 locations across 6 municipal corporations: Visakhapatnam (16), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), Kurnool (6) |
| Objective | Reduce vector-borne diseases (dengue, malaria, chikungunya) through AI- and IoT-driven mosquito control |
| Key Technologies | AI-powered sensors, IoT devices, drones for larvicide spraying, real-time dashboards with heat maps |
| Citizen Engagement | Mobile apps (Vector Control, Puramitra) for reporting mosquito issues and tracking progress |
| Data Integration | Daily hospital reports on dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases |
| Operational Model | Outsourced to private agencies with performance-based payments |
| Environmental Benefit | Minimizes chemical use and environmental impact through targeted interventions |
| Potential Impact | Reduction in disease incidence, optimized resource use, scalable model for other states |
| Challenges | Training needs, infrastructure support (e.g., drainage), public trust |
| Current Status | Pilot phase ongoing as of July 12, 2025 |
| Future Scope | Scalable to other regions in Andhra Pradesh and India if successful |
Technological Components of SMoSS
At the heart of SMoSS are its cutting-edge technological components, which set it apart as India’s first large-scale AI-driven mosquito control program. These include:
- AI-Powered Mosquito Sensors: These smart sensors are installed in mosquito-prone zones and are capable of detecting mosquito species, gender, population density, and environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. By analyzing these variables, the sensors provide granular data that helps authorities understand mosquito behavior and breeding patterns.
- IoT-Enabled Devices: Internet of Things technology ensures seamless data collection and transmission. Sensors and other devices continuously stream data to a central server, enabling real-time monitoring and rapid response to mosquito population surges.
.webp "Smart Mosquito Surveillance System")
- Real-Time Dashboard and Heat Maps: Data collected by sensors and drones is visualized on a real-time dashboard, which provides a clear overview of mosquito activity across the pilot locations. Heat maps highlight mosquito hotspots, allowing civic teams to prioritize interventions in high-risk areas.
- Automated Alerts: SMoSS triggers automatic alerts when mosquito density exceeds predefined thresholds. These alerts prompt civic teams to carry out targeted fogging or larvicide treatments, ensuring timely and effective interventions.
- Hospital Data Integration: To enhance its data-driven approach, SMoSS integrates daily reports from hospitals across Andhra Pradesh on cases of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. This data helps identify correlations between mosquito activity and disease outbreaks, enabling authorities to focus on areas with the highest public health risks.
Objectives of the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) in Andhra Pradesh
The Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS), launched by the Andhra Pradesh government, aims to revolutionize mosquito control and reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases through a technology-driven, data-centric approach. Below are the key objectives of the SMoSS initiative:
- Enhance Precision in Mosquito Control: Utilize AI-powered sensors and IoT-enabled devices to accurately identify mosquito species, gender, population density, and breeding hotspots, replacing indiscriminate "blind spraying" with targeted interventions.
- Enable Real-Time Monitoring and Response: Establish a real-time surveillance system through sensors, drones, and a centralized dashboard to monitor mosquito activity, trigger automated alerts, and facilitate rapid, data-driven responses to population surges.
- Reduce Incidence of Vector-Borne Diseases: Minimize cases of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya by integrating hospital data with mosquito surveillance to identify and address high-risk areas before outbreaks escalate.
- Optimize Resource Utilization: Deploy drones for efficient larvicide spraying and use heat maps to prioritize interventions in mosquito hotspots, reducing chemical use, operational costs, and environmental impact.
- Promote Community Engagement and Transparency: Leverage mobile applications like Vector Control and Puramitra to enable citizens and field workers to report mosquito-related issues, fostering public participation and accountability in the surveillance process.
- Ensure Scalability and Replicability: Pilot SMoSS in 66 locations across six municipal corporations (Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram, Nellore, and Kurnool) to test its efficacy, with the goal of scaling up across Andhra Pradesh and serving as a model for other Indian states.
- Improve Operational Efficiency: Automate key aspects of mosquito surveillance and control, reducing the workload on civic staff and ensuring performance-based accountability through outsourced operations.
- Support Public Health Policy with Data Insights: Provide actionable data through real-time dashboards and hospital data integration to inform evidence-based public health policies and interventions for vector control.
Features of the (SMoSS) in Andhra Pradesh
The Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS), launched by the Andhra Pradesh government in July 2025, is a cutting-edge initiative designed to combat mosquito-borne diseases through advanced technology. Below are the key features of SMoSS, highlighting its innovative approach to vector control:
AI-Powered Mosquito Sensors:
SMoSS employs smart sensors that use artificial intelligence to identify mosquito species, gender, and population density in real time. These sensors also monitor environmental factors like temperature and humidity, providing detailed insights into mosquito behavior and breeding patterns.
IoT-Enabled Data Transmission:
The system integrates Internet of Things (IoT) technology to ensure seamless, real-time data collection and transmission from sensors to a central server. This enables continuous monitoring and rapid response to mosquito activity surges.
Drone-Based Larvicide Spraying:
SMoSS utilizes drones for precise and efficient larvicide spraying in targeted areas. This feature reduces chemical usage, minimizes environmental impact, and covers large areas faster than traditional manual methods.
Real-Time Dashboard and Heat Maps:
A centralized dashboard visualizes data collected from sensors, displaying mosquito activity across pilot locations. Heat maps highlight breeding hotspots, enabling civic authorities to prioritize interventions in high-risk areas.
Automated Alert System:
SMoSS triggers automatic alerts when mosquito density exceeds predefined thresholds. These alerts prompt civic teams to deploy targeted fogging or larvicide treatments, ensuring timely and effective interventions.
Hospital Data Integration:
The system incorporates daily hospital reports on dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases. This feature allows SMoSS to correlate mosquito activity with disease outbreaks, enabling proactive measures in areas with rising infections.
Citizen Engagement through Mobile Apps:
SMoSS includes mobile applications like Vector Control and Puramitra, which allow residents to report mosquito breeding sites and track control measures. Field workers also use these apps to update progress, fostering transparency and community involvement.
Performance-Based Accountability:
Operations are outsourced to private agencies, with payments linked to performance outcomes. This ensures accountability and encourages efficient execution of mosquito control activities.
Targeted Deployment in High-Risk Areas:
SMoSS is piloted in 66 strategically chosen locations across six municipal corporations—Visakhapatnam (16), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), and Kurnool (6)—focusing on areas with a history of mosquito proliferation.
Scalable and Replicable Design:
The system is designed for scalability, with the pilot phase serving as a testing ground. If successful, SMoSS can be expanded across Andhra Pradesh and potentially adopted by other states facing similar challenges.
Implementation Strategy
The implementation of SMoSS is a collaborative effort led by the MAUD Department, with oversight from Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar and Director of Municipal Administration P. Sampath Kumar. The system was developed by a private agency, whose expertise in AI and IoT technologies has been critical to its design and deployment. To ensure operational efficiency and accountability, the government has outsourced the program’s operations to specialized agencies, with payments linked to performance outcomes.Citizen engagement is another key component of SMoSS. The initiative includes mobile applications, such as Vector Control and Puramitra, which allow residents and field workers to report mosquito-related issues and track the progress of control measures. This feedback loop ensures that the system remains responsive to community needs and fosters public trust in the initiative.
The pilot phase, rolled out in July 2025, is designed to test the system’s efficacy in real-world conditions. By focusing on 66 locations across six municipal corporations, the government aims to gather data on SMoSS’s impact on mosquito populations and disease incidence. If successful, the program could be scaled up to other parts of Andhra Pradesh and potentially serve as a model for other Indian states.
Potential Impact on Public Health
SMoSS represents a paradigm shift in mosquito control, with the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases in Andhra Pradesh. By replacing “blind spraying” with targeted, evidence-based interventions, the system addresses the inefficiencies of traditional methods. Its use of real-time data ensures that resources are deployed where they are needed most, maximizing impact while minimizing costs and environmental harm.The integration of hospital data is particularly noteworthy. By correlating mosquito activity with disease outbreaks, SMoSS enables authorities to identify and address hotspots before they escalate into full-blown epidemics. This proactive approach could save countless lives, particularly during the monsoon season when diseases like dengue and malaria are most prevalent.
Moreover, SMoSS reduces the operational burden on civic staff by automating key aspects of mosquito surveillance and control. Drones, for example, can cover large areas quickly, reducing the need for labor-intensive manual spraying. The system’s focus on accountability, through performance-based payments and citizen feedback, ensures that interventions are both effective and transparent.
Opportunities for Improvement and Considerations
Despite its promise, SMoSS is not without challenges. Some residents, particularly in areas like Nellore, have expressed skepticism about the initiative, citing past instances where high-tech projects were launched with fanfare but failed to deliver results due to poor implementation. Ensuring proper training for drone operators and civic staff will be critical to avoid mishaps, such as chemicals being sprayed in populated areas or food stalls.Additionally, some critics argue that technology alone cannot address the root causes of mosquito proliferation, such as poor sanitation, inadequate drainage systems, and improper garbage disposal. A resident of Vijayawada, for instance, noted that their colony experienced dengue outbreaks due to overflowing drains, highlighting the need for SMoSS to be complemented by basic infrastructure improvements.
Another concern is the accountability of AI-driven systems. As raised in discussions about AI in healthcare, questions remain about who is responsible for errors in high-stakes environments. In the case of SMoSS, the training and calibration of AI algorithms will be crucial to ensure accurate detection and response. The government must also address potential data privacy concerns related to hospital reports and citizen feedback.
Broader Implications for India
SMoSS positions Andhra Pradesh as a frontrunner in the adoption of smart city technologies for public health. If successful, the program could serve as a blueprint for other Indian states grappling with mosquito-borne diseases. Its scalability potential is significant, as urban centers across India face similar challenges during the monsoon season. By demonstrating the efficacy of AI and IoT in vector control, Andhra Pradesh is paving the way for a new era of technology-driven public health management.
The initiative also aligns with the broader vision of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who has consistently advocated for the integration of technology into governance. SMoSS is a testament to how innovation can address longstanding challenges, from reducing the economic burden of vector-borne diseases to improving the quality of life in urban areas.
Conclusion
The Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) is a bold and forward-thinking initiative that harnesses the power of AI and IoT to combat mosquito-borne diseases in Andhra Pradesh. By replacing outdated, reactive methods with a data-driven, targeted approach, SMoSS has the potential to transform public health management in the state. While challenges remain, particularly around implementation and complementary infrastructure improvements, the program’s emphasis on precision, accountability, and citizen engagement sets a high standard for innovation in urban health governance. As the pilot phase unfolds in July 2025, all eyes will be on Andhra Pradesh to see if SMoSS can deliver on its promise to create a smarter, healthier future.
Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) FAQs
Q. What is the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS)?
SMoSS is an AI- and IoT-powered initiative launched by the Andhra Pradesh government to monitor and control mosquito populations in urban areas. It uses smart sensors, drones, heat maps, and a real-time dashboard to target mosquito breeding hotspots and reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya.
Q. Where is SMoSS being implemented?
The pilot phase, launched in July 2025, covers 66 locations across six major municipal corporations: Visakhapatnam (16 locations), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), and Kurnool (6).
Q. How does SMoSS work?
SMoSS employs AI-powered sensors to detect mosquito species, population density, and environmental factors. Data is transmitted via IoT to a central server, visualized on a real-time dashboard, and used to create heat maps of mosquito hotspots. Drones are deployed for targeted larvicide spraying, and automated alerts ensure timely interventions.
Q. What technologies are used in SMoSS?
The system integrates:
- AI-powered mosquito sensors for species and density detection.
- IoT-enabled devices for real-time data transmission.
- Drones for precise larvicide spraying.
- A real-time dashboard with heat maps for monitoring.
- Mobile apps (Vector Control and Puramitra) for citizen and field worker engagement.
Q. How is SMoSS different from traditional mosquito control methods?
Unlike traditional "blind spraying," which involves indiscriminate fogging, SMoSS uses data-driven, targeted interventions. It identifies specific mosquito hotspots, optimizes resource use, reduces chemical exposure, and integrates hospital data to correlate mosquito activity with disease outbreaks.
Q. What diseases does SMoSS aim to control?
SMoSS targets vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya, which are prevalent in Andhra Pradesh, especially during the monsoon season.
Q. How does SMoSS involve the community?
Citizens can use mobile apps like Vector Control and Puramitra to report mosquito breeding sites or issues. These apps also allow field workers to track and update control measures, fostering transparency and community participation.
Q. Who is managing the SMoSS initiative?
The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department oversees SMoSS, with leadership from Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar and Director P. Sampath Kumar. A private agency developed the system, and operations are outsourced with performance-based payments.9.
Q. How does SMoSS use hospital data?
SMoSS integrates daily hospital reports on dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases to identify correlations between mosquito activity and disease outbreaks, enabling authorities to prioritize high-risk areas for intervention.
Q. What are the benefits of SMoSS?
- Reduces mosquito-borne disease incidence through targeted control.
- Minimizes chemical use and environmental impact.
- Optimizes civic resources with automation and drone technology.
- Enhances public health decision-making with real-time data.
- Encourages community involvement and accountability.
Q. What challenges might SMoSS face?
Potential challenges include:
- Ensuring proper training for drone operators and civic staff.
- Addressing skepticism about high-tech solutions based on past implementation issues.
- Complementing SMoSS with infrastructure improvements like better drainage and sanitation.
- Managing data privacy concerns related to hospital and citizen data.
Q. Can SMoSS be scaled to other areas?
Yes, the pilot phase is designed to test SMoSS’s efficacy. If successful, it could be expanded across Andhra Pradesh and serve as a model for other Indian states facing similar mosquito-related challenges.