Sindh Govt demands more resources to tackle locusts attack

KARACHI: Sindh government has demanded the federal authorities to provide more resources to the province in order to tackle locusts (the crop-eating insects) attack, ARY NEWS reported on Monday.

The demand was made from the provincial Minister for Agriculture Ismail Rahoo in a letter written to the federal authorities.

The minister lamented the federal authorities for not extending enough support to the province to tackle the issue that could harm crop in the province.

Demanding three planes and 32 more vehicles to conduct spray in the province to tackle locusts attack on the fields, the minister said that currently the spray is being carried out from a plane. “The current resources are not sufficient to carry out spray in districts of four divisions of the province,” he said.

“We are only demanding eight vehicles for each district where spray campaign is to be conducted,” the minister said and added that the planes were required to conduct spray in desert areas of the province.

Read More: Swarms of locusts now land in Karachi, pose threat to farmlands, vegetation

Rahoo also demanded the federal authorities ensure enough supplies of the imported pesticides for tackling the locusts issue in the province.

On November 19, swarms of locusts have landed in Larkana after other districts of Sindh causing panic in farmers and other citizens.

The swarms of locusts can be witnessed at houses, trees and fruit farms in various parts of the city and the outskirts.

The residents fearing damage to their crops and fruit farms are taking efforts on a self-help basis to get rid of the damaging swarms of the grasshopper.

“The locusts could damage standing crops of paddy and vegetables in the area,” people said. They also demanded the Sindh government to conduct spray to get rid of the locusts.