One resident, who did not want to be named, contacted the Otago Daily Times yesterday concerned plain carrots had been dropped from the air in and around a water race on Thursday, and that toxic carrots would also be dropped there.
However, Otago Regional Council regional services group manager Jeff Donaldson said last night residents had nothing to worry about.
The ORC had received permission from the Otago medical officer of health to drop untainted carrots close to the water race on Thursday, and again next week.
But because of the health regulations, toxic carrots would be laid by hand near the water race, and had to be placed at least 50m away from the water's edge.
Carrots would be dropped from the air on to surrounding farmland.
The toxic carrots would be distributed in about two weeks' time, depending on how well the rabbits took the untainted bait, and providing weather conditions were favourable.
The operation in the St Bathans area was one of the larger ones carried out recently, Mr Donaldson said.
Several landowners including the Department of Conservation, had joined forces to ensure the rabbit problem was tackled over as wide an area as possible.
