‘Centre not taking locusts seriously’

Minister claims pesticides have been sprayed on 43,072 hectares in Sindh


​ Our Correspondent June 22, 2020
PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

KARACHI: The federal government is not taking the locust swarms as seriously as the coronavirus pandemic, claimed Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahoo on Sunday.

Presenting details of the spray and survey operations to control the locust invasion, Rahoo stated that pesticide  spraying drives have been carried out on 43,072 hectares in 22 districts of Sindh so far.

He added that the Sindh Agriculture Department had sprayed an area of 32,782 hectares with pesticides, while federal government teams have sprayed an area of 10,290 hectares in the desert areas of the province.

The minister also revealed that over 7.68 million hectares affected by locusts in 22 districts have been surveyed to date, while areas in Dadu, Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushero Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar, among others, were currently being sprayed with pesticides.

Rahoo stated that 98 teams and 25 vehicles, including tractors, had been provided for the purpose by the Sindh Agriculture Department, while the federal government had sent only six teams.

Moreover, he alleged that the Centre had failed to make any arrangements regarding aerial pesticide spraying drives in Sindh, claiming that only one aircraft had been provided, which had broken down after just 20 minutes of spraying in Khairpur. According to him, the aircraft was now in Karachi for repairs.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2020.

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