NEW DELHI, 6 July 2020: Control operations to check damage to crops from locust attacks are continuing. On 4 July 2020, a new dimension was added in locust control activities.
A Bell Helicopter took its first sortie in 65 RD Banda area of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan and completed its mission of chemical spraying in targeted areas; thereby augmenting the locust control efforts.
Starting from 11 April, 2020 till 3 July, 2020, control operations have been done in 135,207 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs).
Till 3 July, 2020, control operations have also been done in 113,215.5 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Haryana and Bihar by State Governments.
In the intervening night of 3 - 4 July, 2020, control operations were carried out at 25 places in 6 districts viz. Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Dausa of Rajasthan State and 2 places in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh by LCOs.
Besides this, State Agriculture Departments also carried out control operations at 4 places in Jhansi and Mahoba districts of Uttar Pradesh and at 2 places in Bharatpur distrcit of Rajasthan, in the intervening night of 3 - 4 July, 2020 against small groups and scattered population of locusts.
No Significant crop losses have been reported in the States of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Bihar and Haryana. However, some minor crop losses have been reported in some districts of Rajasthan.
Swarms of immature pink locusts and adult yellow locusts are active in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Dausa, and Bharatpur of Rajasthan State and Jhansi and Mahoba districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Presently 60 control teams with spray vehicles are deputed
Presently 60 control teams with spray vehicles are deputed /deployed in State of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations. Further, 5 companies with 12 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. India is the first Country who is using drones for locust control
Govt give nod for use of remotely piloted aircraft system for anti-locust operations
On 21 May, 2020 MoCA granted conditional exemption to the Government Entity for use of remotely Piloted Air Craft System for anti-locust operations subject to various terms and conditions. Further, on 27 June, 2020, MoCA further relaxed the terms and conditions and permitted the use of engine-powered drone up to 50kg and use of drones during night times also for anti-locust operations
Food and Agriculture Organization forecast more locust swarms
As per the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Locust Status Update of 3 July 2020, many of the spring-bred swarms that migrated to Indo-Pak border before the monsoon rains, some continued east to northern states of India and a few groups reached Nepal.
The forecast is that these swarms will return to Rajasthan with the start of the monsoon in the coming days to join other swarms still arriving from Iran and Pakistan, which is expected to be supplemented by swarms from the Horn of Africa in about mid-July.
Early breeding has already occurred along the Indo-Pak border where substantial hatching and band formation will take place in July that will cause the first-generation summer swarms to form in mid-August
Weekly virtual meeting on Desert Locust of South-West Asian countries (Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan) is being organised by FAO. 15 virtual meetings of the technical officers of South West Asian countries have taken place so far.