Following a UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) advisory, Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district on Wednesday has sounded an alert for a possible locust attack, and directed authorities including the locust control department to plan, coordinate and execute a strategy to repulse it.
On May 17, FAO said a few locust bands are likely to form in May in southwest Iran from where they may move east towards Pakistan.
“Small adult groups to form in southwest Iran that may be supplemented by groups and small swarms arriving from Arabia, which will move east along the southern coast towards Pakistan,” the advisory said.
The desert locust is the most destructive migratory pest in the world.
Following the advisory, Jaisalmer district collector Ashish Modi directed all officials engaged in the locust control operation to ensure highest priority to containment operations.
“If any official [is] found negligent or violating order, he will be personally [held] responsible,” Modi said while asking them to continue following the Covid-19 guidelines during the exercise.