27 July 2020, New Delhi: Locust Control operations have been done in nearly 4.3 lakh hectares area in 10 states since 11th April 2020. Swarms of immature pink locusts, adult yellow locusts and/or hoppers are active in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Churu, Nagaur, Sriganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar of Rajasthan and in Kutch district of Gujarat. Some districts of Rajasthan have reported minor crop loss.
Presently, 104 central control teams with spray vehicles are deployed in the States of Rajasthan, and Gujarat; and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations.
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 is conducting trials in anti-locust operation by using Mi-17 helicopter.
Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Locust Status Update of 21.07.2020 indicates that the risk of swarm migration from Horn of Africa prevails in coming weeks. In Somalia, the swarms are moving eastwards across the north and a limited number of swarms could migrate across the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pakistan border area during the end of this month.
