Locust attacks crops near Abohar

Our Correspondent

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Abohar, January 13

A major attack by locust has been reported from 41 villages in Sriganganagar near here. District Collector Shivprasad Madan Nakate confirmed this after visiting some of the affected segments on Saturday and Sunday.

Pest controllers are trying to control the impact of the attack reported from Jaitsar, Rawla, Raziasar, Rawla, Srivijaynagar and Anoopgarh segments. Initial survey indicated affect of the attack on mustard and black gram crops spread over 1,600 hectares.

Locust invasions were generally reported in June-July as locust active season was from summer to rainy season, officials said. The last major locust outbreak was reported in Rajasthan in 1993.

Ram Niwas Chaudhary, Assistant Director Agriculture (Extension), GR Matoria, Assistant Deputy Director, Jaswant Singh Brar, Agriculture officer, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pawan Kumar were assisting the DC in on-the-spot inspection. As many as 60 tractors were deployed to spray Malathion and other organophosphate insecticides to eliminate immature swarms. Farmers are also adopting traditional methods of beating utensils and spreading smoke to tackle locust attack.

Experts said local infestations could be supplemented by adult groups and small swarms arriving from across the Pakistan border. However, some farmers in Anoopgarh said they used 1,200 litres of insecticides, but in vain.

The District Collector, who constituted four survey teams, has directed them to take along representatives of crop insurance companies.