Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government on Monday issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) to check possible crop damages by the locusts.
“A control room will be set up in all the districts and the field officers have been assigned to create awareness about locusts’ attack on crops among farmers,” informed Agriculture Secretary Suresh Kumar Vashist after a meeting here.
He said arrival of locusts depends on the monsoon and wind speed. Senior officials have kept vigil on movement of locusts. He informed that around 8 lakh farmers are in helpline group and 6.5 lakh farmers active in WhatsApp.
Farmers have been advised to focus on five major points based on suggestions made by the Central Government.
This apart, the State Government has issued an alert message to all the field functionaries to create awareness and monitor the movement of migratory pest regularly. The Agriculture Officers have been directed to hold awareness programme on locust control through WhatsApp, voice SMS, m-Kissan, Ama Krushi Odisha, Community Radio Stations and video conferencing.
By now, the migratory pests have wrecked havoc on farms in five States, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The locusts have started arriving in Chhattisgarh.
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