Locusts invade two Abohar villages, eliminated in joint op

Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 3

Hundreds of farmers last night used insecticide spray pumps, besides beating drums to target a big swarm of locust that invaded Bareka and Roopnagar villages of Khuyiansarwer block in the sub-division from the Pakistan side and settled on dozens of trees.

After getting information, Kahan Singh Pannu, Secretary, Agriculture, held an urgent meeting with officials at 9 pm on Sunday and sounded high alert. He deputed officers concerned on emergency duty. Some senior officials were sent to Abohar.

Although Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Manpreet Singh Chhatwal has been shifted and scheduled to relinquish charge on Monday, he called an emergency meeting of all stakeholders, including the BSF late on Sunday.

A joint operation against locust started at 10 pm and continued till 9 am today, said sources. Officers from the BSF, fire brigade, police, civil administration, Agriculture Department, Panjab Agricultural University, Horticulture Department and farmers were involved in ensuring that the entire swarm was eliminated. Sufficient quantity of insecticide was provided to the teams. Boomer sprayers, tractor-mounted high-velocity sprayers and fire brigade vehicle were used.

Dr Mohinder Rinwa, former MLA, who belongs to Bareka village, told The Tribune over the phone that he spoke to Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, and sought help on behalf of farmers of the affected villages. Four fire tenders and other vehicles equipped to tackle the menace were rushed to the border belt and an effective operation was launched.

Inputs received from villagers indicated that the loss to crops was nominal.

Experts use machines to spray insecticides on locust at Roopnagar village on Monday. Tribune Photo