Sindh decides to protest with federation for not supporting against locusts

KARACHI (92 News) – The Sindh government has decided to register a protest with the federal government for decrying a lack of support from the Centre to tackle locusts attacks. Sindh Minister for Agriculture Ismail Rahoo said swarms of locusts have entered Sindh and Balochistan from the neighbouring countries of India and Iran. “Locusts will prove more dangerous than coronavirus,” he cautioned. The minister said the provincial government has been informing the centre about the locusts attacks for a year but in vain. He noted that 60 per cent of the country’s rural population that relies on agriculture will suffer if locusts are not eliminated. Earlier in January,  locusts destroyed crops on a large scale in different cities, including Jhang, Sahiwal, Bhakkar and Bahawalpur, in a couple of days. Swarms of locusts descended on crops of wheat. Farmers are busy in warding off the attack on self-help basis. The Agriculture Department has issued a high alert, asking farmers to beat drums and explode fireworks. In Jhang, the Agriculture Department has formed 50 teams to deal with the attack which is likely to subside within 24 hours. Punjab Health Minister Malik Nuaman Ahmed Langrial said that the locust attack is not the problem of a city or a province. “Fifty-two countries have been affected by the locust attack. Locusts have activated after 30 years. The Plant Protection Department is fully aware about the locust attack,” he said. He said that surveillance teams had been formed to deal with the situation. “Farmers are being informed about precautionary measures to ward off the locusts attack,” he added.