Published 21:39 IST, June 24th 2020
Rajasthan: Centre hints at use of IAF helicopters to control locust swarms
Centre is planning to use helicopters to control locust swarms which are entering Rajasthan from Pakistan, Kadwa, Deputy Director of State Agriculture Dept
Centre is planning to use helicopters to control the locust swarms which are entering Rajasthan from Pakistan, Kadwa, Deputy Director of State Agriculture Department on Wednesday said. Essentially,teams of Agriculture Department carried out chemical spraying in Phagi panchayat of Jaipur district to control the swarms of locusts, amid locust attack there. Earlier, aerial spraying of insecticides is being done by drones in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagore and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan for locust control, said Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
"Locust attack has been ongoing for 1.5 months. Rajasthan is one of the most affected states as some districts - Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Ganganagar - share border with Pakistan from where locusts are entering other districts," Kadwa said.
"Operations are on to control them. The issue is, we had killed older swarms but new swarms are coming now. The government of India says that Air Force helicopters will also be used to control it. Locusts have made border areas near Pakistan their breeding centres from where they're coming here and Pakistan is unable to control them," he added.
Meanwhile, United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization has appreciated that India is the first country in the world which is controlling Desert Locust through Drones, it added.
Rajasthan Steps Up Locust Control Operation
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.
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.
Updated 21:39 IST, June 24th 2020