Locusts active, but 'no significant damage' to crops in Rajasthan

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 14

Since April 11 locust control operations have been carried out in around 3 lakh hectares area in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Bihar, said the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.

Swarms of immature pink locusts and adult yellow locusts are active in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, SriganganagarAlwar and Churu districts of Rajasthan; Bhiwani, and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana and Sitapur and Gonda districts of Uttar Pradesh, it said.

No significant crop losses have been reported in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Haryana. However, minor crop losses have been reported in a few districts of Rajasthan.

Starting from April 11 and till July 12, control operations have been done in 1,60,658 hectares in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs).

Till July 12 control operations have been done in 1,36,781 hectares in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Bihar by respective State Governments.

In the intervening night between July 12 and 13 control operations were carried out at 26 places in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Churu, Jhunjhunu and Alwar districts of Rajasthan, Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh and Mahendragarh and Bhiwani districts in Haryana by LCOs, they added.

Respective State Agriculture Departments also carried out control operations at Bhiwani and Mahendragarh in Haryana and Sitapur and Gonda in Uttar Pradesh against small groups and scattered population of locusts.

Presently 60 control teams with spray vehicles are deployed in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in control operations.

In addition, 20 spray equipments 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.

Five 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.