A special crop assessment survey has been launched in three districts of western Rajasthan, where swarms of locusts from across the international border have caused widespread damage to the rabi crops, for finding out the damage in monetary terms. The farmers will be compensated for agricultural losses.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who visited the locust-affected villages in Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jalore districts on Monday, witnessed the extent of damage as well as preventive measures adopted by the farmers and administration. He examined the crops and saw the locusts killed by the spray of insecticides.
The Union Agriculture Ministry’s Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), headquartered in Jodhpur, has launched efforts on a war footing to control locusts. Teams carrying equipment were rushed to the villages this month to spray high-intensity malathion insecticide to prevent the spread of locusts to other areas.
Barmer Collector Anshdeep said insecticide had been sprayed in an area measuring 3.15 lakh hectares and it was being supplied to the farmers on subsidy.
Helpline for farmers
The LWO has also set up a helpline for farmers in the State. While the attack of locusts was reported first in the Ramdeora-Pokhran region of Jaisalmer district during May this year, the last major outbreak of locusts took place in Rajasthan in 1993.
The assessment of rabi crops is usually undertaken in March or April, but the special survey has been launched this time to provide relief to the farmers. The damaged rabi crops in the region include cumin, psyllium and castor.
