Rajasthan steps up locust control operations, drones spray insecticides in affected areas

Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said that aerial spraying of insecticides is being done by drones in the regions of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagore, and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan to curb the locust menace. The Ministry added that under the Make in India initiative in locust control, trials of prototype vehicle mounted ULV sprayer has been successfully conducted in Ajmer and Bikaner. 

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Aerial spraying of insecticides

The Ministry further added, "Aerial spraying of insecticides is being done by drones in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagore and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan for locust control in inaccessible areas and for effective control over tall trees". The Ministry also added that Food and Agriculture Organisation, a body under UN has appreciated the move by saying it is the only country in the world to control locust through drones. 

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The PIB released a statement which read, "The locust control operation is in full swing mainly in Rajasthan, Gujarat and MP. 62 spray equipments (21 Micronair and 41 Ulvamast) are being used by Locust Circle Offices while 200 employees of Locust Warning Organization are deployed for conducting survey and control work. Control room has been established in all 10 Locust Circle Offices and also at LWO, Jodhpur. Even beyond the Scheduled Desert Area, temporary base camps are set up, at Jaipur, Ajmer, Dausa and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan; Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh; and at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh for effective control of desert locust."

"Presently the control work is in full swing with the cooperation and coordination of the State Agricultural Departments, Local Administration and BSF. Two locust swarms from Indo-Pak border areas are reported, one each in Bikaner and Sriganganagar district. Control operation is going on against these swarms. At present, swarms of immature pink locusts with intermittent population of maturing yellow adults are active in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Jaipur, Nagaur, and Ajmer districts of Rajasthan, Panna district of Madhya Pradesh and Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh," the statement read. 

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Image: @AgriGoI/Twitter