MULTAN: A major attack of locusts in various districts of south Punjab has troubled the farmers who demanded the government take effective measures to tackle the problem, which is adversely affecting the agriculture sector.

Locust attacks were reported on crops, mainly cotton, vegetables, green pastures and fruits in almost all districts of south Punjab, particularly Multan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Rajanpur and Vehari. The mango orchards have been badly damaged in Band Bosan, Sahi Chawan, Mati Tall, Jhoke Wains and adjoining areas.

According to the agriculture department, insecticides spray was under way in the affected areas and so far 44,000 tonnes of insecticide had been sprayed over 134,000 hectares across the province, while more than 3,000 employees of the department and 328 vehicles were engaged in the campaign.

Abdul Azeez, a farmer from Jhoke Wains, told Dawn that although the farming community was applying traditional methods to push away the locusts, their efforts were going futile due to the massive number of the insects. The only option to fight them was aerial spray and the provincial government should arrange light aircraft for the purpose, he added.

“People who went for early sowing of cotton are now worried as their crops have been completely damaged, while the mango crop which was going to be harvested next month is also being damaged at a large scale,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, during his visit to Jhoke Wains recently, Deputy Commissioner Aamer Khattak said that four mauza jaat of the district, including Jhoke Wains, Jhoke Wains Aarli, Jhoke Wains Paarli, Sanbal and some areas of Qadirpuran, had been affected by locust attacks.

He directed the authorities concerned to provide chemical to small farmers for spraying, while more machinery should be rented for spray if the available machinery was insufficient.

BAHAWALPUR: The Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) claimed to have pushed locust swarms across the border into Indian territory after a successful drive in the vast desert areas and adjoining greenbelts of the district.

CDA focal person Imtiaz Lashari told Dawn that joint spray teams of the CDA, federal plant protection department and the army carried out the operation in several affected desert areas, including Maujgarh Fort near the Indo-Pak border, about 70 kilometres from here, and eliminated locusts from 465 hectares in two days. A helicopter was also used to spray over about 120 hectares.

He said massive swarms of locusts were either destroyed or forced to fly off to Rajasthan in India.

Meanwhile, according to an official handout, divisional commissioner Asif Iqbal Chaudhry told a meeting through video link with deputy commissioners of three districts and anti-locust government department officials that in a day, the insects had been destroyed on 1,150 acres around Fort Abbas in Bahawalnagar district.

LODHRAN: Rescue 1122, agriculture department, livestock and agri engineering officials participated in a joint insecticide spray operation on Tuesday.

Locust swarms entered Lodhran district from Khanewal on Monday evening and damaged thousands of acres of cotton, sunflower, sugarcane, animal fodder, corn crops and trees.

Farmer Aqeel Ahmed from Bangla Basant told Dawn that at sunset the sky turned brown as a massive swarm arrived in the district. Farmers had drummers beat drums to push the insects away.

A farmer, Mukhtiar Ahmed, told Dawn that already they were suffering due to the lockdown and their wheat fields had also been affected, while now there was a fear of the locusts.

The swarms were reported in Dunyapur, Bangla Basantpur, surrounding areas of Kehror Pacca and other nearby areas.

Lodhran Deputy Commissioner Imran Ali Qureshi directed relevant departments to take action and told the revenue and agriculture departments to estimate the losses to crops in the district. Mr Qureshi also monitored the operation across the district on Tuesday.

The Khanewal district administration spokesman told Dawn that many areas were being cleared of locusts and the spray operation and surveillance will continue till the elimination of all the insects here.

Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbas Sherazi directed the agriculture department to create awareness about locusts among farmers and stay connected with them to minimise the losses.

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Fresh swarms of locusts once again entered different villages of the Cholistan in Liaqatpur tehsil after 5pm.

The return of the locusts to these areas and cultivated parts was from the south eastern side of Channi Goth and Ahmedpur East in Bahawalpur district.

Yousuf Qadri, a resident of Cholistan, told Dawn that locusts entered areas of chak 140 to 148 of northern in union council of 178, chak 317 A,178-7R and 180 to 225 of 1L just before sunset.

He said the insects attacked fodder and cotton crops but as darkness prevailed, they perched on trees and ground.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2020