Locust attacks: Sindh government to provide Rs10 million bridge financing to PPD

As the locust attacks have caused serious damage to the standing crops in 11 districts, the Sindh government has decided to provide Rs10 million to federal Plant Protection Dept as bridge finance arrangement to arrange three aircraft, fuel and pesticide to launch aerial spray in desert area, the habitat of locust, with an immediate effect.

This decision was taken by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over a meeting here at CM House.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Senior Advisor to CM, Nisar Khuhro, Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Agriculture Secretary Agha Zaheeruddin, Agriculture Extension DG Hidayatullah, Hidayatullah DG Falak Naz DG Plant Protection of federal government and other concerned officers.

The CM said that the locust swarms attacks have caused serious damages to the standing crops in 11 districts. "Had the federal government's Plant protection taken timely spray the damages would have been controlled," he said and directed the provincial Agriculture department to conduct survey of the damages caused to the crops.

Minister Agriculture Ismail Rahu briefing the CM said emergence of desert locust was first reported in Nara desert of Khairpur on May 13, 2019 which had come from India. He added that due to prolonged monsoon season, Desert Locust laid eggs in desert area and now Nymph and hopper Band shave emerged in desert areas which could cause a great threat to farmers' economy.

The CM was told that locust swarm was observed in transition status in many districts which caused damage to the standing crops.

It was pointed out that the federal Plant Protection department was informed to start control operation in Nara Desert. The federal plant protection department started control operation but due to their financial and other constraint the control programme could not take off properly.

The CM was told that the worst affected areas were Salleh Pat of Sukkur district, Nara Desert of Khairpur, Ghotki desert, Thar desert areas such as Chhachro, dahili, Nagarparkar and Islamkot, Acchro Thar to Sanghar, Desert area of Umerkot, Gongo Thar of Taluka Daur of Shaheed Benazirabad.

Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu said that his department has conducted the spray operation of 247, 297 acres of different affected area. This spray has been conducted from the funds of Rs319.695 million CM had provided to the deputy commissioners.

The CM asked the DG federal Plant protection department that how many aircrafts they were using. He said that they have one helicopter in Sindh which has some fuel and pesticide shortage issues. He said that they could arrange three helicopters if the issues of their funds could be resolved. They vowed to arrange two more helicopters if their fuel and pesticide were arranged.

The CM directed Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi to release Rs10 million immediately so that federal government's Plant Protection Department could start operation along with provincial agriculture department.

He said that the lands have been prepared for wheat cultivation and by the end of this month the seedling would come out. "If this situation remains persistent, then the entire crop would be eaten away by the locust swarm," he and added this operation must be started within next four days.

The CM directed chief secretary to keep monitoring the operation against locust in desert areas and develop close and coordination among district administration, agriculture department and federal plant protection department so that work could be done in a minimum time frame.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019