Secretary, Agriculture, and Horticulture, UT Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar assessed the current situation of yellow/browntail moth infestation and management of these defoliator insects.

Secretary, Ravinder Kumar directed the officials to evaluate and identify the damage percentage of the defoliating pests in Tyakshi village and asked them for developing suitable management strategies by using non-chemical and organic pesticides at the earliest. Besides this, he also asked for adopting mechanical control strategies like mechanical pruning of infested twigs and disposal as per the standard protocol. 

Concerned officials of the Kargil district were asked to keep a vigil and preparation for the emergence of any kind of such infestation.

He also stressed providing PPE Kit, gloves, and masks for the safety of the users to avoid allergies while dealing with the infestation in the field.

Secretary further emphasised conducting awareness camps for the management of defoliators and directed that Orchard sanitization should be carried out in every village and instructed the officials to destroy the overwinter moth webs as soon as possible. 

It was informed that a technical team/expert from research institutes like DIHAR and SKUAST along with officials from Horticulture, Agriculture and Forest department to conduct a tour of Tyakshi village within two days.

The meeting was attended by Director, DIHAR, Chief Agriculture Officer, Leh; DFO, Leh; Chief Horticulture Officer, Leh and Kargil; Senior Scientist, DIHAR; Scientists from SKUAST, Leh; and Programme Assistant, KVK, SKUAST.