Operations completed in 6 states between April and July
To repel locusts from damaging crops, a Bell Helicopter took its first sortie on the 4th of July in 65 RD Banda area of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan and completed its mission of chemical spraying in targeted areas, thereby strengthening locust control activities.
Control operations have been done in 1,35,207 hectares in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana by Locust Circle Offices (LCOs) from 11th April till 3rd July.
In addition to this, state governments have also done control activities in 1,13,215.5 hectares in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Haryana and Bihar till 3rd July.
In the intervening night of 3rd and 4th July LCOs carried out control operations at 25 places in the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Dausa of Rajasthan State and 2 places in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. Besides this, State Agriculture Departments also carried out control operations at 4 places in Jhansi and Mahoba districts of Uttar Pradesh and at 2 places in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.
No significant crop losses have been reported from any of the states due to locust attack other than minor losses in a few districts of Rajasthan.
