Two locust swarms back in Mahendragarh after 13 days

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Mahendragarh, July 27

Two swarms of locust re-entered the district from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on Monday after 13 days.

The first swarm covering 1 km in length and 500 m in width was spotted in Surheti Pilania village under the Satnali block, while the second one made an entry from Badopur village under the Narnaul block. Both the swarms entered the district in the morning and kept officials of both the Agriculture and Revenue Departments on their toes.

One of the swarms moved towards Alwar in Rajasthan in the evening after swirling over a number of villages in the district while the second one was still flying over the Kanina block till the filing of the news report. Farmers who were already alerted about the locust attack were banging utensils to scare the insects away.

Sources said the locusts were active in the bordering villages of Rajasthan on Sunday, hence their arrival in the district was quite expected.

“Entering from Badopur, the second swarm moved towards Alwar in Rajasthan while flying over Narnaul, Nasibpur, Patikara, Bachhod and Chandpura villages in the district, whereas the first one is still swirling over the villages of the Kanina block. This swarm has reached Kanina while flying over Barda, Dalanvaas, Madhogarh, Rajawas, Rathiwas, Mahendragarh city, Bhagdana, Majra, Buchauli, Dhana and Bawania villages,” said Jaswinder Singh, Deputy Director (Agriculture), Narnaul.

Notably, the locusts have again attacked the district after 13 days. Earlier, the insects remained for five days in the district in the second week of July and it caused damage to cotton and bajra crops in several villages before shifting to Rajasthan.