Haryana on high alert after locust attacks in Rajasthan & Punjab

CHANDIGARGH: After the reports of devastation by locusts in the neighbouring Rajasthan and the pest attacks in parts of Punjab, Haryana has also been put on high alert.
Special teams have been constituted to tackle the situation and to spread the awareness across the state. In additon, to control the locust attack at their own level, state farmers will also get the required pesticides at 50% subsidy.
Haryana agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Jai Parkash Dalal said an appeal had been made to the farmers to inspect their fields and immediately report presence of any locust. They can call their local agricultural development officer, Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar, agriculture department deputy director and the control room.
The minister said proper arrangements for loud noises should be made for repelling locusts.
Farmers had also been given special training on how to stop the attack, Dalal said, adding that adequate arrangements of pesticides had also been made to avoid panic, in case of any emergency.
According to the agriculture department officials, to control locusts, stocks of pesticides chlorpyriphos 20% EC and chlorpyriphos 50% EC had been made available through Hafed, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation, Haryana Seed Development Corporation and Haryana Land Reclamation and Development Corporation. The farmers could buy these chemicals at 50% of the usual price. Apart from this, farmers could also use pesticides such as bendiocarb, deltamethrin, eipronil, lambda cyhalothrin and malathion.
Preparations were being made in border districts of Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar of the state that touch upon Rajasthan and Punjab territories. In addition, arrangements had been made in Bhiwani, Mahendargarh, Rewari and Charkhi Dadri districts, the minister added.