UP launches locust control operations in vulnerable areas

Amid swarms of locusts invading many areas in Jhansi and Sonbhadra districts, local authorities swung into action, spraying crops with various chemicals and insecticide overnight in two districts, officials said on Thursday.

Filled in fire brigade tankers, the chemicals were sprayed in Moth and Garautha areas of Jhansi and Bemauri village in Ghorawal tehsil of Sonbhadra district on Wednesday night, they said.

In Jhansi, a large number of locusts was eliminated by spraying chemicals all through the night but a smaller number of those which survived moved towards Pariksha near Jhansi on Thursday morning, said Deputy Director (Agriculture) Kamal Katiyar.

Their further movement will depend on the wind direction, he added.

Senior officials, including those from a central team, were present during the night-long operation and a close vigil is being maintained on further movement of locusts, Katiyar said.

Two fire brigade vehicles loaded with insecticide were deployed in all four Jhansi tehsils, besides six vehicles being kept ready at the district headquarter.

Ten municipal employees with two insecticide spray machines were posted in every block.

Locusts had earlier attacked some parts of Jhansi district on May 22 and 24.

In Sonbhadra, a swarm of locusts reached Bemauri village in Ghorawal tehsil on Wednesday night where a team of Agriculture Department officials sprayed chemicals till late night, killing a large number of insects.

District Agriculture Officer Piyush Rai said the swarm reached the village in the evening but as there were no standing crops, no damaged was done by them.

"A team from the Agriculture Department reached there at 11 pm and continued spraying chemicals till 1.30 am, killing the insects in large numbers," he added.

Chairing a review meeting on locust control in Lucknow, Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said, "Locusts have divided in small groups in Rajasthan. Small swarm of locusts were controlled near Dausa (Rajasthan)."

"Agra district has to remain alert form locusts and in Jhansi, it was seen and it moved towards Madhya Pradesh. All teams are alert in the state. We have issued directives on this regard to make people aware," he added.

"We are alert and our teams will ensure that the damage is not done to crops," he said.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on Wednesday issued directions to district magistrates of Jhansi, Lalitpur, Agra, Mathura, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot, Jalaun, Etawah and Kanpur Dehat.

At the state-level, teams have already been formed and control rooms established to track the movement of locusts. At the district headquarter level, a nodal officer has been appointed, and a task force and control room already set up.

Officials have been instructed to list elaborate details of the danger posed by locusts and precautions that need to be taken, and sharing them through social media, and making them available to farmers and locals.

An advisory was also issued to beat drums, tin containers, metal plates and create noise to shoo the locusts in case of an attack. Officials of the Agriculture Department have been told to coordinate with members of the locust warning team, locals and farmers.