K-P declares emergency in 7 districts to control locust spread

PM Imran Khan told Rs50m funds allocated for locust outbreak control

PESHAWAR: In an effort to control the spread of locusts, the provincial government on Saturday declared emergency in seven high-risk districts of the province. This was revealed in a briefing given by the provincial government to Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the steps taken so far for the effective surveillance and control of locust in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan along with his team attended the briefing through video conferencing.

The provincial government has approved an emergency fund of Rs50 million and has launched a mass scale awareness campaign for educating the local farmers, the meeting was told. The prime minister was informed that so far no damage to crops by locust anywhere in the province was reported.

The provincial government has declared emergency in seven high-risk districts including DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Tank, Orakzai and Kurram, the meeting was informed.

At least 55 teams have been deployed for round the clock surveillance and control of locust in these areas while 24 different camps have also been established in the high-risk areas, maximum possible number of human resource and logistics deployed.

The officials briefing PM Khan further said that affected area of 11, 754 hectares has been cleared and the locust surveillance and control strategy has been put in place.

PM Khan was informed that a total area of 8, 843 hectares is being kept under surveillance constantly. At least 114 spray operations have been conducted in the affected areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2020.