ISLAMABAD: NDMA has claimed that 1150 teams were taking part in anti-locust operation in 61 districts of 4 provinces.
NDMA had advised framers to report snout locusts swarms at hotline 051-111-222-999: “The aggrieved farmers can register their complaints about the existence of locusts in their respective areas or need of spray on the hotline for 24 hours.”
According to NDMA 1700 hectares had been sprayed in Balochistan, 1000 hectares in Punjab, 900 hectares in KP and 800 hectares in Sindh over the last twenty four hours. Meanwhile, 313,000 hectares of land were surveyed for the evaluation of damage.
NDMA further informed that most of the attacks were reported in Balochistan, where locusts swarms attacked 31 districts. The crop eating insects attacked 11 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 districts of Punjab and 7 districts of Sindh.
NDMA told that across the country 4,400 hectares were sprayed with insecticides. In Balochistan alone 1,700 hectares of land were treated. In Punjab, 1,000 hectares of land were sprayed, in KP, 900 hectares of land were treated, in Sindh, 800 hectares of land were sprayed.
Due to forecast of rain Sindh govt has deployed 98 field teams against locust swarms. Moreover, leaves of the employees of Sindh government’s Department of Agriculture have been cancelled.
Agriculture Minister, government of Sindh Ismail Rahoo claimed that in the last 24 hours, 8,448 hectares of land have been treated. He warned that following rains. The minister said that after rains, a swarm of locusts can give a thousand eggs per one square metre of land, as rains provide conducive condition for fertilization.
Ismail Rahoo further said that the teams were on high alert in the desert areas of Sindh. Sindh Minister of Agriculture lamented that Sindh populace was still waiting for support from Federal Government in order to contain the menace.
Sources privy to NPTV have revealed that the locust swarms are in the process of destroying mango, sugarcane and cotton crops. Locusts had attacked terrain in Multan, Muzzaffargarh, Vehari, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Sanghar, Matiari, and Ghotki.
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