• 198 spots surveyed in Mansa district and no hotspot of pink bollworm observed till now
• Agriculture Minister asks officials for intensive surveillance of cotton fields and ensure application of recommended pesticides in their presence
Chandigarh, August 2:
Adopting a grassroot strategy to assess the pest infestation on the cotton crop, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday made a whirlwind tour to some villages in Mansa district to personally evaluate the condition of the cotton fields.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, who was accompanied by Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab’s working President and Budhlada MLA Principal Budh Ram, MLA Sardulgarh Gurpreet Singh Banawali and senior officials of the department, inspected the cotton fields at villages including Ramnagar Bhathal, Jhunir and Khiali Chehlan Wali. He said that the Agriculture department’s teams have recently surveyed 198 spots in Mansa district and no hotspot of pink bollworm has been observed till now. Only three spots were found above Economic Threshold Level (ETL) for whitefly damage.
He further informed that as many as 128 pest surveillance teams were formed under the supervision of two Joint Director-level officers for regular monitoring of the cotton crop to avert insect attack. These teams have been monitoring the cotton crops in the districts of Muktsar, Fazilka, Faridkot, Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala and Sangrur.
The Agriculture Minister further said that 274 fields were surveyed in Bathinda district by 52 teams. Pest surveillance was done at 126 fields in Fazilka district by 15 pest surveillance teams, while, 27 surveillance teams have carried out surveillance in 163 plots in Sri Muktsar Sahib district and 13 teams have carried out surveillance in 198 fields in Mansa district. He said that intensive surveillance has been carried out by these teams and farmers are being advised to use insecticides recommended by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), wherever it’s required. Cotton belt farmers are being continuously advised to irrigate the crop to enhance the growth of crop and to manage whitefly attack, he added.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the department officials concerned were directed to ensure regular monitoring of the cotton fields and application of the recommended pesticides in their presence, wherever required
