Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Till July 12, 2020, Locust control operations were carried out in 1,36,781 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Bihar by State Governments.
In the intervening night of July 12 &-13, 2020, control operations were carried out at 26 places in 7 districts viz. Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, and Alwar in Rajasthan, 1 place in Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh, and at 2 places in Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts in Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs).
Besides this, respective State Agriculture Department/s also carried out control operations at 2 places in the districts of Bhiwani and Mahendragarh in Haryana and 2 places in the districts of Sitapur and Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, in the intervening night of July 12 & 13, 2020, against small groups and scattered population of locusts.
SAt present, 60 control teams with spray vehicles are deputed /deployed in State of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations. In addition, 20 spray equipment have been received and are deployed for locust control. To strengthen the control capacity, 55 additional vehicles have also been purchased and deployed for locust control, according to a PIB release.
Further, 5 companies with 15 drones are deployed at Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagaur, and Phalodi in Rajasthan for effective control of locusts on tall trees and in inaccessible areas through spraying of pesticides. A Bell helicopter has been deployed in Rajasthan for use in Scheduled Desert Area as per the need. Indian Air Force also has conducted trials in anti-locust operation by using a Mi-17 helicopter.
No significant crop losses have been reported in the States of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Haryana. However, some minor crop losses have been reported in some districts of Rajasthan.