NDMA rejects CM Sindh’s statement on vehicles for locusts operation

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday refuted remarks from Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah in which he said that the NDMA had provided them a list of vehicles to be purchased for dealing with swarms of locusts, ARY NEWS reported.

While refuting the statement made by the chief minister on the floor of the Sindh Assembly, the NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal said that they had not provided any list to the Sindh government for arranging vehicles needed to take part in action against swarms of locusts.

“Instead, we have provided them with the vehicles of Pakistan Army to conduct operations against locusts,” he said while terming the chief minister’s remarks against reality.

It is pertinent to mention here that Ministry for Food Security and Research on June 21 announced that they are looking to initiate a program against locust swarm infestation in the country with the help of the World Bank (WB).

According to a notification issued by the ministry on the matter, World Bank has offered an amount of $200 million to fend off and kill the locust swarms overwhelming agricultural land in Pakistan.

Read More: NDMA continues anti-locusts spray across the country

An additional $150 million were also promised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help the country fight the critters.

The project titled ‘LEAFS’ has been mulled upon by the ministry and a response will be given to the World Bank which is at the helm of the project after approvals.

The notification further states that the ministry in conjunction with the country’s economic affairs team has approved a concept note on the matter.

The first project cycle (PC-1) has also been prepared by the ministry and will present it next month at the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting.