Delhi issues a fresh advisory on swarms

NEWDELHI: The Delhi government on Thursday issued an advisory to officials across various districts to prepare for a potential locust attack after the central government issued a warning that there was a high chance of the crop-munching insects moving from parts of Madhya Pradesh towards the capital.

Delhi minister Gopal Rai said: “Alert and directions have been sent to the revenue commissioners, district magistrates and municipal commissioners regarding the matter… The authorities should carry out spraying of insecticides and pesticides during the night… As the swarm usually flies in the day time and rests during night time, they should not be allowed to rest.” His comments came after the nodal organisation dealing with a possible locust attack warned that Delhi may be targeted by the swarm which hit Jaipur and Uttar Pradesh on May 25, and parts of Madhya Pradesh last week.

KL Gurjar, deputy director at the Locust Warning Organisation under the Union agriculture ministry, said: “There is a chance that the swarm in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur and neighbouring Jhansi area may move towards Delhi. They will settle in the evening and control operations will take place tomorrow morning . But it’s good that Delhi government is on alert just in case a small number reach Delhi from Madhya Pradesh.”

The wind direction is easterly and blowing from Bihar and UP, according to the India Meteorological Department. In the rural pockets, locusts are capable of causing crop loss, and in the urban pockets, they can damage trees, said SN Upadhyay, a Gwalior-based entomologist who has worked on locust outbreaks across states.

Delhi, according to government records, has 85,870 acres of agricultural land which is spread across the rural belts in the south-west and north-west peripheries. The crop loss is expected to be less because this is not a harvesting season and paddy plantation is likely to begin next month.Bhagirath Choudhary, director, South Asia Biotechnology Centre, a think-tank that works in the field of agriculture with the central government, said that in the last 15 days, locusts had moved out of their traditional areas in the deserts of Rajasthan and reached Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh for food.