NLCC completes anti locust operations in three provinces

ISLAMABAD: National Locust Control Centre (NLCC) has completed locust anti locust operations as no pests have been reported from three provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab.

However, locust was present in only one district of Balochistan (Lasbella), said a press release issued by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

The joint teams of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, provincial agriculture departments and the Pakistan Army were conducting a comprehensive survey and control operation against the locusts in effected districts and succeeded to minimize its threat to only one district.

Meanwhile, anti-locust survey and control operations were in progress as joint teams during the last 24 hours surveyed 193,108 hectares area.

In the last 24 hours, locust control operation has been carried out on five hectares of District Lasbella of Balochistan. In the last 6 months, the NLCC carried out control in 1,131,890 hectares area of land.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had emphasized that a coordinated national response is required to cope with the expected locust swarm so that crop production is not affected.

According to a press release, he was speaking at a briefing on the National Action Plan for Locust Control at National Locust Control Center in Islamabad.

During the briefing, PM Imran Khan was informed that the National Action Plan for Locust Control Phase-I has been completed. 

The Prime Minister said that the federal, provincial governments and other organizations should coordinate to cope with the locust swarm across the country.

The premier also assured that the PTI-led federal government will undertake every possible effort for locust control since it involves the food security of the country.

“Locust attack combined with COVID-19 is a huge challenge for Pakistan,” he added.

PM Imran accorded in-principle approval for Phase-II of the National Action Plan for Locust Control. The meeting also decided that the affected farmers would also be compensated through this package.