COMBATING AGAINST LOCUSTS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
May 29, 2009

On both sides of the north-eastern section of Karabakh-Azerbaijani
contact line a heavy period of agricultural works is on. Today, both
the Armenians and the Azerbaijanians have a common enemy. The horde
of locusts attacked the arable lands on both sides of the contact
line. Fortunately, irrespective of political speculations there is a
non-stipulated arrangement on the frontier and peace is maintained,
no bursts of fire are held, which enables efficient organization of
combating on both sides. On May 28, Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan
visited the agricultural disaster area.

All night long employees of the Rescue Service stood guard in
the headquarters set up in the zone affected with insects, since
early morning the head of Martakert regional administration, head
of Plant Protection Service, soldiers of the frontier regiment had
been there. They were the first reporters of the insects’ nocturnal
movement.

According to Sergey Ohanyan, head of the regional administration,
lately they have managed to lead combating to the pesthole and to
prevent irruption in some areas, a territory of 20 km width and 2 km
depth is taken under control.

Irrespective of the taken measures and the considerable passivity of
insect irruption agriculturalists came across another threat. On one
hand danger is posed in the frontier non-explored and non-controlled
territories, on the other hand insects grow into winged ones.

Insect combating is carried out on a territory of 4 thousand hectares
and the emergency staff hopes that, nevertheless, they will manage to
localize the pestholes and to prevent insect irruption. According to
the Minister of Agriculture, the volume of cultivated lands in the
damaged zone is not great.

The day was a festive one and the officials having visited the arable
lands with a practical purpose did not forget about it and celebrated
the day of the first Armenian Republic in the pastures.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress