Braj prepares to fight locust attack

 Chairing a meeting on the looming locust attack on Mathura, DM Sarvagyaram Mishra has advised the agricultural department officials to make arrangements on a micro-level to combat it. Every officer and staff must be assigned responsibilities, and equipments needed must be kept ready, he said.

The DM gave directions for stockpiling of insecticides and other chemicals by the agriculture department and private dealers. Tanks and water must also be kept ready in large quantities. Procurement of tractors should be initiated, and the cost of diesel and rent charges will have to be paid on a daily basis. Chief Fire Officer Pramod Sharma was ordered to keep the fire trucks ready.

Agricultural scientist Dr. S.K. Mishra said that as the locusts will come from Rajasthan, Govardhan and Farah are likely to be attacked first, and hence should be converted into clusters for storing the insecticides. 

CDO Nitin Gaur, joint magistrate Diksha Jain, SDM (dep) Brajesh Kumar, asst director (agriculture) Dhurendra Kumar, district agricultural security officer Vibhuti Chaturvedi, and district garden officer Jagdish Prasad were present.