Infant locusts damage crops in 2 Dadri villages

This is the third locust invasion this year. Earlier, swarms of locusts had entered the district twice from Rajasthan via Pakistan’s Sindh province. This time, the infestation is by locusts that emerged from breeding during the previous invasions.

There seems to be no end to the plight of farmers in Charkhi Dadri’s Kalali and Adampur villages as locusts have once again damaged their crops.

A locust can eat its own weight — about two grams of fresh vegetation thus cause widespread damage during a swarm attack.(HT FILE)

This is the third locust invasion this year. Earlier, swarms of locusts had entered the district twice from Rajasthan via Pakistan’s Sindh province.

This time, the infestation is by locusts that emerged from breeding during the previous invasions.

Raj Karan, a farmer from Kalali village, said he has lost cotton crop on seven acres this time. “We had suffered losses earlier as well. But this time, the attack is by locally bred locusts. Agricultural officials had failed to kill the entire swarm last time, which is why the new ones have emerged,” he added. Karan further said that the infant locusts have more capacity to cause damage.

Rishal Singh, another farmer from Adampur village, said, “The government and the district administration had claimed to have tackled the situation. But if that was true, then where have the new insects come from. We have lost our bajra, cotton and guar crops. Over 70 acres have been damaged in our village. The government should initiate a special girdawari and compensate the farmers whose crops have been damaged,” he added.

The farmer further said the government was relying on old techniques such as beating of drums and vessels to scare away the locusts. They should have provided choppers and drones for spraying pesticides and chemicals at affected areas, he said.

Dadri deputy director (agriculture) Zile Singh Yadav said, “We have started an operation to kill the locusts with the help of farmers.”