Locusts spotted in R’sthan, dept steps up vigil

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 26

Swarms of locusts were spotted again in Rajasthan after which the Agriculture Department of Punjab deployed teams to keep a close vigil on the border.

The department has asked farmers of the state to remain cautious. The farmers are worried and said if they were unable to control the locust attack in the initial stage, it could cause an irreparable damage to their crop.

The Chief Agricultural Officer, Bathinda, Bahadur Singh, said, “Teams constituting agriculture, revenue, health and police officials have been formed and a locust control room has been set up.”

He said at present, locusts were spotted at two locations in Rajasthan near Sriganganagar and Kareempur, so the farmers were advised to keep their gun spray ready.

State secretary of the BKU, Ekta Ugrahan, Shingara Singh Mann, said, “The situation is grim and farmers in villages near the Haryana and Rajasthan borders are worried. They have also made arrangements of drums to beat it if locusts are spotted near their village to keep them away from their farms.”

In January this year, locusts, popularly known as ‘tiddi dal’, were spotted in some villages of Fazilka, Muktsar and Bathinda. The locusts are actually short-horned grasshoppers.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner B Srinivasan said, “There is no need to worry as no attack of locusts has been reported so far in the district. The department teams are keeping a close check on the border. The teams are creating awareness in villages on the issue.”