Lok Sabha Question No. 4892 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Outbreak of Locusts
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4892

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  JULY, 2019

## OUTBREAK OF LOCUSTS

4892.  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state :

- (a) whether Indian and Pakistani officials have held a discussion over a possible outbreak of locusts and possible joint action to tackle it recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the decisions taken in this discussion;
- (c) whether an alert has been issued by the Government in all the districts adjacent to the Pakistan border and surveys are being conducted to tackle this situation and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Locust Warning Organization (LWO) had started gearing up to tackle any major attack by the tropical grasshopper and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): The Scheduled Desert Area which span across three States i.e. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana  is  a  summer  breeding  ground  for  the  Locust.  The  breeding  season  of  locust  span  from June/July  to  October/November  every  year.  The  locust  swarms  normally  travel  with  the  wind  and enters the Scheduled Desert Area of India through Pakistan. To monitor locust incursion, joint meeting between locust officials of India and Pakistan are held every month during locust season (6 meetings in  a  year)  to  exchange  locust  situation.  Recently,  two such joint border  meetings  were held on  19 th June  and  17 th July  2019  at  Munabao  (India)  and  Khokhrapar  (Pakistan)  border  respectively.  Both countries shared the locust infestation information and control measure taken by them and agreed to continue their control operations in their territories.
- (c): Yes, alert has been issued by the Government in all the districts adjacent to the Pakistan border in State of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana and regular surveys are being conducted to tackle locust incursion.  There  is  a  continued  incursion  of  Desert  locust  since  21 st May  2019  onwards,  from  the border areas of Pakistan mainly in the Jaisalmer district of the Rajasthan State. Its presence has also been  reported  in  the  Barmer,  Jalore,  Jodhpur  and  Bikaner  districts  of  Rajasthan  and  Banaskantha district of Gujarat. Till 17 th July 2019, an area of 52460 hectares area have been surveyed (Jaisalmer 35840 hectares, Barmer - 7720 hectares, Jalore - 1300 hectares Jodhpur -2100 hectares, Bikaner - 3300 hectares and Banaskantha -   2200 hectares).

(d): The following steps have been taken by the Locust Warning Organization taken to deal with the incursion of Desert locust:

- i. Up to the 17 th July, 2019, a total of 19153 hectares have been treated against the said infestation by  spraying  insecticide  (Jaisalmer  -14509  hectares,  Barmer  -  1822  hectares,  Jalore  -  414 hectares Jodhpur -593 hectares, Bikaner - 1300 hectares and Banaskantha - 515 hectares).
- ii. The staffs of locust warning organization / circle offices are undertaking regular surveys and control operations to check desert locust.
- iii. A total of 177 officers (52 additional officers from Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine) and 54 nos. of vehicles (10 additional from Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and 22 given by the State) have been deployed in the various circle office for assistance in control and survey works. In addition, senior officers of the Department are camping in the infested area and supervising control operations.
- iv. Further,  the  State  Agriculture  Department  of  Rajasthan  has  posted  their  77  nos.  of  staff including  Agriculture  Supervisor,  Agriculture  officers  &  Assistant  Agriculture  Officers  to various  offices  in  the  Jaisalmer  districts  for  assistance  in  locust  control  works.  The  State Government  has  also  constituted  various  teams  comprising  senior officers for regular assessment and monitoring of locust situation
- v. Various  awareness  programs  have  been  organized  by  the  various  circle  offices  for  state agriculture officers and farmers.
- vi. Regular Liaison is being maintained with the Forest Department, Border Security Force, State Agriculture Department, District administration and representatives of Gram Sabha/Panchayat.

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