Haryana chief secretary reviews locust swarm situation in state, issues directions

CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief secretary (CS) Keshni Anand Arora has directed the agriculture department and district administrations to take all necessary precautions in advance to tackle any attack of locust swarms in the state.
The CS gave these directions while presiding over a review meeting regarding monitoring and control of Locust in Haryana with the officers of agriculture department and other officers concerned on Friday.
During the meeting, Sanjeev Kaushal, additional chief secretary, agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, shared that after insect attack have been reported in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Rajasthan, Haryana has also been put on high alert. Special supervision teams have been constituted to tackle the situation and to spread the awareness about the same across the State. Further to control the locust attack, adequate stock of pesticides namely Chlorpyriphos 20% EC and Chlorpyriphos 50% EC have been made available through HAFED and Haryana Land Reclamation and Development Corporation and if required, farmers can get pesticides from these agencies.
Kaushal said that after locust swarms attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, nine districts where the insect attack is expected are put on high alert and adequate arrangements have already been made in advance to tackle any attack. He informed that Agriculture Department has stocked enough pesticides; insecticides and have also formed farmers’ group on WhatsApp. The farmers have also been asked to remain vigilant about locust.
He further informed that though till now the locust swarms have not entered the state, but all the necessary precautions are being taken in well advance including activation of tractor mounted spraying facility, constituting a response team for close monitoring of locust control activities. Along with this, for quick mobilization, Deputy Commissioners have been asked to coordinate and hold daily meetings with the response team and ensure no panic is created among the localities, he added.
The CS was apprised that Agriculture Department officers are in regular touch with Jodhpur Central Institute for Locust Warning (Locust Warning Organisation), from sharing the necessary details about the swarms’ movement. The department officials are also coordinating with Locust Control Organizations of Government of India.