Jaipur, May 20: The locust outbreak in Rajasthan has affected more districts in the state this year as compared to last year, prompting authorities to come up with an emergency plan to deal with it. The locusts that entered into Rajasthan from Pakistan have been travelling far across the state due to favourable wind conditions. The Tiddi Dal attack have been witnessed in several regions including Pushkar, Ajmer, Bundi, Sikar, Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh districts. The first locust attack this year was reported in Rajasthan's Ganganagar.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, several districts that did not report swarms last year have reported locust attacks this year. These districts include Sirohi, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Pali, Pratapgarh, Sikar and Jhunjhunu. The report adds that so far, locusts have been reported from more than half of Rajasthan and has covered 16 out of 33 districts. Meanwhile, the Locust Warning Organization (LWO) of the Union ministry of agriculture and farmer welfare warned of another attack between May-June this year. Locust Attack: What Happens When This Pest Invades Farms? Know All About The Worst-Ever 'Tiddi Dal' Attack.
The state government has made an emergency plan to deal with the locust swarms. Meanwhile, preparations are being made to spray insecticides from drones in remote inaccessible areas. State Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria asserted that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has warned of a large scale locust outbreak this year and the impact will be 2-3 times higher that the previous year. Kataria added that locust swarms are expected to reach other districts besides the 12 affected last year.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 20, 2020 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).