Declare locust attacks a national disaster, Ashok Gehlot writes to PM Modi

JAISALMER: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to declare the locust attacks going on in Rajasthan and elsewhere a national disaster.
“The locust outbreak this time is fierce in the state. Barring two or three districts, all 33 districts have been attacked. Crops are getting damaged,” Gehlot told reporters after returning to Jaisalmer from Jaipur on Sunday evening.He said, “Locusts were seen in Jaisalmer-Barmer on a large scale in 1991-92. Last year also the farmers faced large attacks.”
The CM said, “The Kharif and Rabi crops were damaged last year. Now the Kharif crop could be damaged again. How long can farmers tolerate crop damage due to locusts? They should get full compensation. I hope the Prime Minister will pay attention to this.” Gehlot said he mentioned in the letter that locusts come to India via Africa and other countries, including Pakistan, and breed here on a large scale.
Locusts have reached in most parts of the country. When this happened last time, nobody remembers.
Gehlot said he raised the issue of the crop loss due to locust attacks in a video conference of chief ministers with Modi. “Modi took interest in the matter and sought information about the affected districts,” the CM said.
Chief whip Mahesh Joshi, sports minister Ashok Chandna and Congressmen Neeraj Merwani and Devendra Yadav reached Jaisalmer with the CM on Sunday evening. A cabinet meeting was called in Suryagarh hotel later in the night.
The CM said his government was launching a scheme named after ex-PM late Indira Gandhi from August 20—the birth anniversary of another ex-PM late Rajiv Gandhi. “Everyone would get cheap food at Rs 8 under the scheme,” Gehlot said, referring to the Indira Rasaoi Yojana.
Gehlot said the government officials managed well by supplying dry ration and food packets at people’s doorsteps during the lockdown.
Reiterating that governance would not be allowed to suffer, the CM said in today’s technical era, work can be done from any place and his ministers were functioning while staying in Jaisalmer.
After the press conference, Gehlot went to Gorbandh hotel where cabinet ministers BD Kalla, Sukhram Bishnoi and Pramod Jain Bhaya were staying. After having snacks with the ministers and MLAs, he left for Suryagarh hotel other MLAs and Congress leaders are staying. AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala left for New Delhi by a chartered flight on Sunday morning.
Sisters of the MLAs from nearby districts of Jaisalmer have been called to celebrate Rakhi festival on Monday.