Gujarat Massive Locust Swarm – Locust Swarm Damages Acres of Crops in Gujarat
In Gujarat, thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed by a massive locust invasion. Experts term is the worst such attack in 25 years.
Farmers tried using drums to drive away from the insects as locals believe loud noise repels locusts, there were videos of schoolgirls seen banging the drums and walking by the affected areas, while the officials have attempted to tackle the swarm with pesticides.
Punamchand Parmar, the local government official said that almost half a dozen districts in the state have their crops damaged by the invasion. In one district alone, more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) have been devastated. He said this is a huge amount and we have never witnessed a huge invasion like this before.
Using pesticide, nearly 25 percent of the locusts had been destroyed in the affected areas of Gujarat and still in order to exterminate the insects completely, it will take another 4-5 days.
He said, “Due to the change in the direction of the wind, their initial flight path towards Pakistan was changed and they landed in north Gujarat.”
P. K. Borad, the head of the
entomology department at Anand Agriculture University said, “In over two decades or so, this is the worst locust attack witnessed in Gujarat. Such a massive locust swarm was last seen in 1994.”R. C. Faldu, the state’s agriculture minister said that to get rid of the insects, 100 tractors carrying pesticides would be sent to the affected villages.
However, many of the villagers were walking around the affected farms banging drums to chase away the insects, they do not want to leave anything to chance. One man said, “In our village, we have lost everything.”
Editor’s Note: Gujarat Massive Locust Swarm
