ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA), Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal on Friday held a press conference to address the locust threat plaguing the country, ARY News reported.
Chairman NDMA said that the locust threat has gradually seen a decrease due to the migration of a large portion of the swarms to India’s area of Rajasthan.
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He added that the reason for the large scale pest infestation in the country was due to the cold, humid and rainy season in Balochistan last year due to which a large population of the insect couldn’t migrate.
The locusts bred and laid eggs in the area and now we deal with a large scale infestation, said Chairman NDMA.
General Muhammad Afzal added that locust swarms continue to harm crops in the country but Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan’s counter measures against the insect have been fruitful.
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It was also revealed that a new swarms of locusts will enter Pakistan in the fourth week of June from Iran and Muscat whereas a large swarm of locusts is also expected to make its way from Africa to Pakistan.
Chairman NDMA said that airplanes will be deployed against locust swarms in Balochistan which will spray pesticides and insecticides on the insect to try and keep them at bay.
The first sortie against locusts will include 16 airplanes and will spray agricultural land in Balochistan before the month of July.
Read More: 9 aircraft to spray locust-infested areas: NDMA chief
Five special helicopters have been leased from various countries along with insecticides and pesticides to deal with the conundrum, Chairman NDMA revealed.
Large contingents of insecticides and pesticides have been handed over to provinces to defend their crops against the pest.
It was also revealed that 1100 plus teams will take part in the grand operation against locust swarms throughout the country.
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