Locust control operations were carried out at 36 places in 09 districts viz. Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Churu, Nagaur, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar of Rajasthan and 01 place in Kutch district of Gujarat against swarms and hoppers by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs) in the intervening night of 26^th-27^th July, 2020.

Today (27.07.2020), swarms of immature pink locusts, adult yellow locusts and/or hoppers are active in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Churu, Nagaur, Sriganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar of Rajasthan and 01 place in Kutch district of Gujarat.

Starting from 11th April 2020 till 26^th July 2020, control operations have been done in 2,14,642 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by LCOs. Till 26^thJuly 2020, control operations have been done in 2,14,130 hectares area in States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Bihar by State Governments.

No significant crop losses have been reported in the States of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Haryana. However, some minor crop losses have been reported in some districts of Rajasthan.

Presently, 104 central control teams with spray vehicles are deployed in the States of Rajasthan, and Gujarat, and more than 200 Central Government personnel are engaged in locust control operations. Further, 5 companies with 15 drones are deployed at Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Nagaur and Phalodi in Rajasthan for effective control of locusts on tall trees and in inaccessible areas through spraying of pesticides. A Bell helicopter has been deployed in Rajasthan for use in Scheduled Desert Area as per the need. Indian Air Force also is conducting trials in anti-locust operation by using Mi-17 helicopter.

Food and Agriculture Organization’s Locust Status Update of 21.07.2020 indicates that the risk of swarm migration from Horn of Africa prevails in coming weeks. In Somalia, the swarms are moving eastwards across the north and a limited number of swarms could migrate across the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pakistan border area; during the remainder of this month.

1. Hoppers’ mortality at Dechu, Jodhpur , Rajasthan
2. LWO operation at Nohar, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan
3. A spray operation by LWO at Nohar, Hanumangarh Rajasthan
4. LWO operation at village khuiyan Tehsil Nohar, Hanumangarh Rajasthan
5. A Drone operation at village Punaser , Tehsil Bapini, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
6. Hoppers trapped in a trench at Village Gelu, Tehsil Tiwari Jodhpur , Rajasthan

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APS/SG