Lok Sabha Question No. 2519 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-09
Subject: Grasshopper Infestation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Hanuman Beniwal

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2519 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH  JULY, 2019

## GRASSHOPPER INFESTATION

2519.     SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that a large number of grasshoppers have come into our country from the border areas of Pakistan which may destroy the crops of farmers;
- (b) if  so,  the  steps  taken by the Government to deal with the problem of grasshoppers; and
- (c) the places where offices related to warning about grasshoppers have been set up in Rajasthan along with the details of the status of the sanctioned, working and vacant posts lying in these offices?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a): There is an incursion of Desert locust (belongs to the category of grasshoppers) in low  to  medium  density  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 noticed in the Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan and Banaskantha district of Gujarat.

Till  date,  there  is  no  evidence of crop damages by desert locust. Neither the desert locust control teams nor any State agriculture functionaries have reported any damage to the crops.

- (b): The following steps have been taken to deal with the problem of Desert locust:
- i. Up to the 3 rd July, 2019, a total of 8041 hectares have been treated against the said infestation by spraying insecticide (Jaisalmer - 7354 hectares, Barmer - 447 hectares, Jalore - 100 hectares and Banaskantha - 140 hectares).
- ii. The staff of locust warning organization / circle offices are undertaking regular surveys and control operations to check desert locust.

- iii. An Additional 40 nos. of  technical officers/officials  of  Directorate  of  Plant  Protection Quarantine and Storage 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 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.

(c):     Under the Locust Control & Research, the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Famers  Welfare  has  established  10  Locust  Circle  Offices  at  Barmer,  Jaisalmer,  Bikaner, Suratgarh,  Churu,  Nagaur,  Phalodi,  Jalore  in  Rajasthan  and  Palanpur  &Bhuj  in  Gujarat covering  almost  all  the  desert  areas.  In  addition,  Locust  Warning  Organization  has  been established at Jodhpur which acts as head quarter of the circle offices. Furthermore, a Field Station on Investigation in Locust has also been established at Bikaner. The details of of the status of the sanctioned, working and vacant posts lying in these offices is at Annexure-I.

Annexure- I

## Detail of staff position

| S.No.   | Group       |   Sanctioned posts |   Working |   Vacant Posts * |
|---------|-------------|--------------------|-----------|------------------|
| 1       | Group A & B |                 32 |        29 |                3 |
| 2       | Group C     |                218 |       104 |              114 |
|         | Total       |                250 |       133 |              117 |

*  An Additional 40 nos. of technical officers/officials of Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage have been deployed in the various circle office for assistance in control and survey works.

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