Over 50% of Rajasthan in grip of locust menace

Jaipur: The locust menace has spread to 18 districts (over 50%) in its first month, making it difficult for the state to contain them. In the last season, which lasted for eight months, its movement was limited to 11 districts, mostly desert zones.

The fresh wave of the locust attack, which started in the second week of April, has taken the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) by surprise.

“Since there’s no standing crops, locusts are travelling to far-flung areas in search of food,” said LWO director K L Gurjar.

The ‘flying terrorists’ have moved in all various directions from Ganganagar and Sikar in the North, Dholpur and Karauli in the East, Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh in South, Jaisalmer and Barmer in the West in addition to Jaipur and Ajmer in the centre of the state.

The most worrying change is the movement of the pests in urban areas. Currently, its movement in urban areas of Jaipur, Dausa and Ajmer has sparked fear among residents.

“Its movement in urban areas derails our containment operations. The chemical used in the sprinkler is not suitable for humans, which doesn’t allow us to operate until they reach an open uninhabited area,” said OM Prakash, commissioner, agriculture department.

The arrival at the peak of summer has come with another set of problems for the LWO and the agricultural department. “The operation to contain them takes place during the night till the wee hours. Unlike in winters, they start flying in another direction early in the morning. While in winters, the moisture prevents them to fly around noon,” Prakash said.

It has also crossed Rajasthan and registered its presence in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh after a gap of 12 years via Chittorgarh and Dholpur, respectively.

Sensing the scale of the problem, the LWO has ordered Drone for sprinkling chemicals in order to kill the locust. So far, the sprinkling is being done from fire brigade bus, tractors and gipsies. “In the coming days, the Drones will arrive which will help us in hitting the locust effectively and efficiently,” said Gurjar.

Taking the threat seriously, the state government has devised a three-layered monitoring collaboration with the Border Security Force and Locust Warning Organization (LWO). The BSF will tip off the state and LWO on the movement of locust the moment they cross the international border. The movement will help the state in alerting its respective districts to start the combat operation even before the locust entered into the urban areas.