The Worst fear of Locust-Terror Attack appears to be turning true: Centre deployed drones, helicopters, vehicles mounted sprayers, fire brigade vehicles and Air Force M--17 choppers. To be intensified further in the coming month

Locust-Terror attack: Indian Airforce to deploy sophisticated helicopters fitted with CD Atomizer Kit and GPS tracker

BY Vijay Thakur, Special Representative, The Statesman, vijaythakurx@gmail.com

Fearing worst Locust attack in the half a dozen states in India and Nepal, Union Agriculture Ministry in association with state governments have deployed drones, helicopters, vehicles mounted sprayers, and fire brigades to control the spread of Locust swarms entering India from Somalia through Pakistan.

A new report from the FAO Locust Watch team has also revealed that that one of the locust swarms has already entered Nepal crossing sugarcane belt of Uttar Pradesh. Though the present swarms could not cause much damage, United Nation’s organization has warned that many more such swarms are likely to hit Indo-Pak border from Somalia where it would breed and spread further into Northern and Western states.

The United Nation has already warned that Locust swarms would continue to enter India for another one month, and if not controlled in time, it would severely affect crops in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

If UNFAO (Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations ) is to be believed, the locust swarms could attack even in Nepal in the coming months. It warned that hatching and band formation would increase during this month in Rajasthan and northern Gujarat, in India as well as adjacent areas of Tharparkar, Nara and Cholistan deserts of Pakistan.

“A few swarms continue to be seen further east in Uttar Pradesh, India and at least one swarmlet reached the central plains of Nepal on 12 July where they are likely to disperse or return towards Rajasthan without causing significant damage or breeding,” the United Nation warned. Centre has set up special 24x7 Control rooms for desert Locust swarm. In Gujarat and Rajasthan alone more than 60 ground control teams of Locust Circle Offices and 12 Drones are being used to control its menace.

Soon government would also have half a dozen hi-tech CD Atomizer kits with GPS Trackers. Centre would take help from Indian Air Force to press its helicopters for aerial spray in the affected areas to quarantine it before they could make any major damage, he said.

Government has deployed 60 control teams with spray vehicles, 15 drones deployed in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner Nagaur in Rajasthan, Bell helicopters deployed to spray pesticides. Besides the Indian Air Force has also conducted trials in Anti-Locust operations by using Mi-17 helicopter.

Government has also deployed 55 additional vehicles for locusts control mounted with newly procured sophisticated Micronair sprayer. So far Locust control operations have carried out in around 3 lakh hectares area in Rajasthan, MP, Punjab, Gujarat, UP, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Bihar.

Presently Swarms and adult groups are mainly present in Rajasthan west of Jaipur and some infestations continue to be reported in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Utter Pradesh. Only one small group of immature adults, which moved north in Utter Pradesh on June 27 during strong winds, FAO reports said. It reached northern districts of Kushinagar and Sidharth Nagar where it split up and a few crossed the border to the central lowlands of Nepal near Butwal. Though it might not cause much harm and are likely to disperse, the FAO said.

Ends.