Locust threat looms over Lko, agri dept on alert
LUCKNOW: The agriculture department is geared up to combat any attack by desert locusts, the threat of which looms large on the state capital.
“So far, locusts have reached neighbouring districts like Unnao, Kanpur and others. We are tracking the movement of locusts. Elaborate arrangements are in place in the border areas of the state capital, especially Mallihabad, Kakori and Mal, to combat any locust attack,” said CP Srivastava, deputy director, agriculture.
The department has deployed over 20 massive tractormounted pesticide guns in Lucknow’s border areas like Malihabad to mow down stray locusts. Besides, more than 7,000 locals have been roped in these areas to scare away the locusts with the help of drums and other noise-making tools, he said.
Malihabad, Mal and Kakori tehsils form the main portion of the mango belt in the state capital. As per records of the horticulture department, mangoes are produced on 23,589 hectares of land in all the three tehsils. And Mallihabad is said to be the largest contributor to the total mango production of the mango belt.
Despite the preparedness of the agriculture department to combat the locust menace, farmers in the mango belt continue to have sleepless nights.
“The mango crop is still there and we have heard that these locusts destroy everything which comes in their way. We would suffer huge losses if any such attack happens,” said Vimal Kumar, village head of Birahimpur.
Some mango growers said the situation would be a double whammy for mango growers – initially the lockdown hit the mango crop and now the threat of locust attack looms large on it.
Dr Shailendra Rajan, director of ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) that aims to train farmers in getting maximum yield, said: “If desert locusts attack the mango belt, they will surely destroy the crop. This is an unprecedented situation.”