Govt taking all possible steps to save crops from locust attack: Buzdar

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that all out efforts were being made at every level to overcome locust attack in the province.

In a statement, Usman Buzdar said that the districts administration was fully engaged in overcoming locust attack and all possible resources were being utilized in this regard.

The chief minister instructed the departments concerned to remain vigilant round the clock to deal with it. Funds amounting one billion rupees have been issued to overcome locust attack in the province, the statement read.

The CM said that monitoring of locust situation was continued in 24 districts over an area of one 14.7 million acres area, whereas 75,000 litre pesticides have been sprayed over 756,000 acres of land so far.

Earlier, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had stated that recent locust attacks in Pakistan could lead to widespread food shortages. Pakistan can lose Rs 393 billion in winter crops and another Rs 451 billion in summer crops.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in Pakistan there are 50 districts where locusts are present. Survey and operation are underway in locust flooded areas while two districts of Sindh, nine districts of Punjab, 31 districts of Balochistan, and eight districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were affected locust attacks.

The United Nations had also called for air spray in the affected areas and urged on international agencies to provide emergency assistance to control locust attacks.