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New Delhi : Amidst a wave of locust swarms sweeping across western and northwestern India, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW) has stepped up locust control operations in the affected States of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
As of May 27, 2020, there are active swarms of immature locust in Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Sikar, Jaipur Districts in Rajasthan and Satna, Gwalior, Seedhi, Rajgarh, Baitul, Devas, Agar Malwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
At present 200 Locust Circle Offices (LCO) are conducting survey & control operations in close coordination with District Administration and agriculture field machinery of the affected States. Locust control operations are in full swing in coordination with State Agriculture Departments and Local Administration. In Rajasthan 21 districts, in Madhya Pradesh 18 districts, in Punjab one district, and in Gujarat 2 districts have undertaken Locust control till now. For effective control of locusts beyond Scheduled Desert Areas, temporary control camps have been established in Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Dausa in Rajasthan; Mandsaur, Ujjain and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh, and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
Till May 26, 2020, control operations against Locusts have been done in 47,308 hectare area in total 303 places in Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh by LCOs in coordination with District Administration and State Agriculture Department. Eightynine fire brigades for pesticide spray; 120 survey vehicles; 47 control vehicles with spray equipment and 810 tractor mounted sprayers have been deployed for effective locust control, as per requirement during different days, according to a PIB release.
Usually, the locust swarms enter the Scheduled Desert Area of India through Pakistan for summer breeding in the month of June/July with the advent of monsoon. This year, however, the incursions of locust hoppers and pink swarms have been reported much earlier because of presence of residual population of Locusts in Pakistan which they couldn’t control last season. Since April 11, 2020, locust hoppers and from April 30, 2020, the incursion of pink immature adults has been reported in bordering districts of Rajasthan and Punjab, which are being controlled. Pink immature adults fly high and cover long distances during day hours from one place to another along with the westerly winds coming from the Pakistan side. Most of these pink immature adults settle on the trees during night and mostly fly during day.
Concerned over the early attack of locust swarms this year, Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar chaired a meeting with the pesticide manufacturers and all related stakeholders on May 6, 2020, to review the preparedness for locust control in the affected States. Following directions of Tomar, a video conference was conducted under the chairmanship of Secretary (DAC&FW), Sanjay Agarwal, was conducted on May 22, 2020, with the District Administration and District Agriculture Officers of locust threatened districts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh along with the representatives of NDMA.
On March 11, 2020, a High- Level virtual meeting on Desert Locust in South-West Asian countries was held at the office of the FAO representative in India. Representatives of four member countries (Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan) and the Plant Protection Division of FAO, Rome, also participated at the meeting. It was decided to hold the virtual meetings of technical officers of member countries every Monday via Skype and nine meetings have so far been held.
Currently Locust Control Offices have 21 Micronair and 26 Ulvamast (47 spray equipments) which are being utilised for locust control. On approval of the Agriculture Minister, supply order for additional 60 sprayers has been placed to M/s. Micron, United Kingdom.