Starting from 11th April 2020 till 8th August 2020, locust control operations have been done in 2,58,406 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs). Till 9th August 2020, control operations have been done in 2,64,491 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Bihar by State Governments.
Control operations were carried out during day and night time yesterday, at 46 places in 07 districts viz. Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Nagaur, Churu, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar of Rajasthan and 01 place in Kutch district of Gujarat against hoppers and some scattered adults by LCOs.
Presently, 104 control teams with spray vehicles are deployed in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations. Further, 15 drones are deployed at Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagaur and Phalodi in Rajasthan for effective control of locusts on tall trees and in inaccessible areas through spraying of pesticides. Drones are used in hopper control also. A Bell helicopter has been deployed in Rajasthan for use in Scheduled Desert Area as per the need. Indian Air Force is also conducting trials in anti-locust operation by using a Mi-17 helicopter.
No significant crop losses have been reported in the States of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Haryana. However, some minor crop losses have been reported in some districts of Rajasthan.
Yesterday (09.08.2020), hoppers and/or some scattered locust adults were active in Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Nagaur, Churu, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar of Rajasthan and in Kutch district of Gujarat.
As per the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Locust Status Update of 7 August 2020, desert locust swarms continue to persist in several countries in Horn of Africa and Yemen and summer breeding is in progress on both sides of Indo-Pak border.
Weekly virtual meeting on Desert Locust of South-West Asian countries (Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan) is being organized by FAO. 20 virtual meetings of the technical officers of South West Asian countries have taken place so far.
| 1. | LWO operation at Devgarh_Makrana in Nagaur, Rajasthan |
| 2. | A giant kill of hoppers at Tejarsar in Bikaner, Rajasthan |
| 3. | Dead hoppers at Chhujasar_Binasar in Churu, Rajasthan |
| 4. | A trench-line of dead hoppers at Devgarh_Makrana in Nagaur, Rajasthan |
| 5. | A pile of dead hoppers at Lalamdeshar_Chhota Nokha in Bikaner, Rajasthan |
| 6. | LWO vehicle in action at Katvandh in Bhuj, Gujarat |
| 7. | LWO operation at Joravarpur_Nohar in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan |
| 8. | A spray operation in progress at Kansar_Nohar in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan |