RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Sindh government will contribute Rs726.8 million in National Action Plan (NAP) to prevent the growth and hatching of locust for the coming season in province.

The total cost of the plan is almost Rs931 million, in which federal government would contribute Rs204 million and share of the provincial government stands at Rs726 million, the documents of Sindh Budget 2020-21 revealed.

The federal government has devised NAP with joint efforts of federal and provincial governments. It is aimed at destroying the hatched eggs along with existing breeding places. Stage wise mechanism has been developed to prevent the re-growth and re-hatching of locust in the coming season.

The plan has three stages; winter – spring breeding from Jan-June 2020, summer monsoon from July-Dec 2020 and winter-spring breeding from Jan-June 2021.

The Sindh government has demanded 6 aircraft, ULV sprayers, pesticides including ULV, Lambda Cyhalothrine Emulsified concentrate (EC) in sufficient quantity and deployment of necessary field teams from federal government as this is a federal mandate.

Federal government has promised continued aerial operation.

According to document, survey and control operation in cropping and desert area is being carried out with the coordination of Pak Army. Department of Plant Protection assisted in control operation in district Ghotki, Kashmore, Khairpur and Sukkur.

Sindh government has planned to increase number of field teams for extensive surveillance and control operations.

Number of vehicles along with vehicle / tractor mounted, solo power sprayers and hand sprayers would be increased for handling influx. GPS devices will be provided to field teams for reporting accuracy of surveillance & efficient locust control operations.

In 2020, locust swarms first reported in district Ghotki on 8th April and Kashmore on 12th April. Their presence was reported in 22 districts of Sindh including Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Larkano, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Matiari, Dadu, Karachi (Gadap & Malir), Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Shaheed Benazir Abad, Sanghar, Nausheroferoze and Kamber Shahdadkot. So far, 35,576 hectares area of various crops including cotton, vegetables, sugarcane, fodder, chilies and others have been damaged.

There was slow response from the Federal government and Sindh Agriculture Department had to take immediate steps.

Agriculture department procured 1,000 had sprayers, 300 Solo power sprayers, 6 Tractor mounted sprayers and 70 Vehicle mounted sprayers with 25 vehicles.

Another fleet of 21 vehicles has also been included. Besides, 125,000 litres Limda EC pesticides was purchased and is being used. A total area of 7,389,757 hectares has been surveyed and 38,893 hectares affected area was sprayed by 13th June.