Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the farmers of the country, especially in Western and Northern parts of the country, are facing a locust attack. According to the reports, crops and vegetation are some of the states are now threatened with locust, considered to be one of the most dangerous migratory pests in the world.
The swarms of locust, which entered the country from Pakistan have now become a headache to farmers as the pests are spreading like wildfire in states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, an alert has been issued in the national capital Delhi too.
The videos shared on social media are terrifying to say the least.
I have never seen such a scene, the person recording the video can be heard saying.#2020 Locust attack Jaipur. pic.twitter.com/S5tJAITTQ6
— Chittukuruvi (@chittukuruvi4) May 26, 2020
Locust Attack in Jaipur 🤮
— Srinivas M.D(AIIMS) 📢 (@srinivasaiims) May 25, 2020
#2020 isn't it too much already ?
pic.twitter.com/PJxdKDQGER
Swarms of Locusts enter Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) May 23, 2020
Environment Ministry yesterday said, Locust Swarm from Pakistan have entered Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh threatening major damage to crops.
Report:Vikas Kumar pic.twitter.com/OECWrfCjbL
Locust attack in Rajasthan. Jaipur today. They have ability to eat crops like anything. Via @DrRakeshGoswami pic.twitter.com/eROJ08gRWI
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) May 25, 2020
Reportedly, swarms of locus pests after crossing Pakistan entered India through Rajasthan on April 11.
Multan under locust attack. pic.twitter.com/KdNpUKBvkX
— Kasim Gilani (@KasimGillani) May 18, 2020
On Monday, locusts entered other states. According to the World Bank, these pests have infested more than 23 countries across East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia in 2020, the biggest outbreak in 70 years.
These pests considered to be dangerous to crops, vegetations, feed on nearly all green vegetation – leaves, flowers, bark, stems, fruit, seeds including millet, rice, maize, sorghum, sugarcane, barley, cotton, fruit trees, date palm, vegetables, rangeland grasses, acacia, pines and banana.
States issues alert for locust attack
The Union environment ministry had already issued an alert last week that locust swarms have entered Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Department on Sunday also issued a warning and also informed Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and bordering districts of the state regarding the locust attack and asked them to take preventive steps accordingly.
To prevent the possible locust attack, the agriculture department authorities in Maharashtra has begun spraying of chemicals on crops and vegetation to save them from the migratory pests. In Rajasthan, sensing the scale of the problem, the Locust Warning Organisation has ordered drones for sprinkling chemicals in order to kill the locust. So far, the sprinkling was being done from fire brigade bus, tractors and gipsies.
