Steps taken to control locust: Punjab minister

LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Nauman Ahmed Langrial said on Monday that the Agriculture Department, with the support of Plant Protection Department, had completed arrangements to conduct aerial spray to control the breeding of spring season locust.

He was talking to the media after presiding over a meeting, held here to review the activities of Agriculture Department to control locust. He said that with the support of the Federal Plant Protection Department, three planes would be provided for the purpose. He said that till now surveillance of 3.7 million hectares of land had been done besides carrying out 44,000 litres of pesticide spray on an area of 133,000 hectares. The agriculture minister said that all relevant departments would continue their efforts till complete eradication of locust. Nauman Ahmed Langrial appealed to farmers to immediately inform the district administration or the Agriculture Department (Extension) office of their respective areas if they witness locust.