Locusts storm through Gurugram, Delhi outskirts
NEW DELHI: Large swarms of desert locusts stormed through Gurugram and the outskirts of Delhi as they entered the National Capital Region on Saturday morning, turning skies dark in many parts of the “Millennium City”, throwing urban residents and farmers of the area into a complete state of panic.
While the swarm, spread across two kilometres, entered Gurugram around 11:30 am on Saturday, Delhi was largely spared except for isolated incidents of the pest infesting areas like the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary and other places in South and South West Delhi.
Many residents in Gurugram’s high-rises and urban areas like Beverly Park, Garden Estate and Heritage City along with buildings in Sikanderpur witnessed the locust storm. And given the city’s proximity to the Delhi airport, the Delhi Air Traffic Control also directed pilots to take necessary precautions during landings and take-offs. Several videos from Chhatarpur also showed swarms flying in.
And as the Haryana government issued a high alert to districts, the Delhi government directed all districts in the city to be on high alert and coordinate with respective fire departments to spray pesticides wherever required. Delhi’s Environment minister Gopal Rai held an emergency meeting over the issue and gave directions and guidelines to ward off the pests. Residents in Delhi have been advised to keep doors and windows shut and resort to loud noises to keep them away.
The migratory pests had travelled eastward from the Rewari district in Haryana and into Gurugram with officials saying that it would continue along the west-east wind direction and go into Faridabad and onto Uttar Pradesh, sparing Delhi. K L Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, the Ministry of Agriculture, said the swarm was seen moving towards Palwal on Saturday afternoon.
Talking to reporters in Rewari, Haryana’s Agriculture minister J P Dalal said Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rewari districts had been put on alert on Friday itself.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sanjeev Kaushal said the swarms had travelled from Rajasthan and after passing through Mahendragarh district of Haryana settled in various villages of Jatusana and Khol blocks in Rewari district on Friday evening. Moreover, authorities in Noida, in anticipation that the largely agricultural lands in Greater Noida might be affected, have also issued appropriate advisories.